Technology Education

So, you want to become A+ Certified? Good decision. We in the IT industry have the rare ability to demonstrate skills acquired outside the normal realm of job experience, by passing industry-standard certification tests. A+ is the most basic qualification an IT professional can, and should, earn. It's proof that you aren't helpless when you crack a case, that you won't run screaming from an OS installation (and that you won't screw it up!). A+ Certification affirms that you are capable of assembling a computer, installing operating systems and applications, and successfully troubleshooting them when the inevitable happens (a user gets their hands on it). There is no scholastic prerequisite for A+. It doesn't matter if you've been working in the industry. It just matters that you know your stuff. The same is true of other certs from Microsoft, Novell, Cisco, Oracle and many other companies whose primary interest is getting qualified technicians into the field regardless of their origin.

Many companies require A+ certification of their new hires, and for many others A+ will be what makes your resume stand out from the competition. Even if your line of work isn't directly related, you'll benefit from this kind of knowledge. A programmer who is helpless in the face of a blue screen, waiting for a tech who is busy elsewhere, is a nonproductive programmer. Sure, there are those who denigrate A+ as "just another useless certification" which won't make a difference in the grand scheme of things, but these people already have jobs. Perhaps you don't, or you're interested in changing careers. Maybe you're not in a position to spend big cash and two-to-four at a college for your degree. Maybe you're 16 and looking for a leg up on the summer-job competition. Having this certification will open doors not available to those who lack it.

The A+ Certification Test
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is an association of a few (8000+!) IT industry companies with the common goal of standardized qualifications for technicians working in the industry. Given the prevalence of hardware and software standards in our industry, it's easy to imagine certain basic qualifications for a technician. This is where CompTIA comes in. They create and sponsor various certification tests accepted throughout the industry as basic qualification in the areas covered by the test. A+ Certification is the first level, indicating a technician who meets entry-level (6 months' field experience) qualifications. Other certifications from CompTIA are available. Net+ is the TCP/IP networking equivalent of A+. Server+ is a more server-centric test for those in SMP/RAID/SCSI/SAN environments. i-Net+ tests knowledge of Internet infrastructure, servers, protocols, security and business concepts.

There are two sections to the A+ Certification test: Core Hardware (Test 220-201) and Operating System Technologies (Test 220-202). The current version (2001) supersedes the 1998 version and introduced a few changes when it hit the streets at the end of January 2001. Each section is composed of 70 questions, in a non-interactive, multiple-choice format. An interactive version, like the older test where the quality of your answers determines the difficulty of succeeding questions, is due the third quarter of this year.

Each test is graded on a scale of 900 total points. Passing score for the Core Hardware test is 683/900 or 76%, about 53 of 70 questions. Passing on the OS Technologies test is 614/900 (68%) or 48/70. Each test is allotted 90 minutes for completion. You don't have to take the tests simultaneously and there is no set timeframe for taking the second, as long as the current test set is still valid. When you pass both, you become A+ Certified, with all the appurtenant privileges and bragging rights. You get a certificate suitable for framing, access to special areas on the CompTIA website, the right to use A+ logo/graphics and a secret decoder ring.

The test is available worldwide, in multiple languages. Versions published in French, Spanish, German and Japanese have the ability to toggle between English and the original test language, although answers must be entered in the original language. These multilingual tests will remain in the older 1998 format until later this year when the interactive versions are released. Those for whom English is a second language may take the test in English with extra time allowed. This specialized test isn't available in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Isle of Man, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, United States and Wales.

CompTIA has delegated the conduct of their A+ testing to two companies, NCS/VUE and Prometric. Tests are administered at pre-approved testing centers worldwide. Specifics for registering, payment and scheduling tests are to be found at either site.

Cost, you say? Not much, when viewed as a major step in your career development. Each of the two A+ sections costs $US 132. Member companies of CompTIA pay a greatly reduced rate for tests taken by their employees, starting at $US 82 and subject to A little bad news: should you fail a test, it will cost you full price (or another voucher) to retake it.

The Individual Tests

Breakdown of the A+ Core Hardware Exam
The A+ Core Hardware Service Technician Examination objectives fall into six domains. These objectives are available from CompTIA (pdf format).

Installation, configuring and updating (30% of exam)

Diagnosing and Troubleshooting (30% of exam)

Preventive Maintenance (5% of exam)

Motherboards/Processors/Memory (15% of exam)

Printers (10% of exam)

Basic Networking (10% of exam)

Breakdown of the A+ Operating System Technologies Exam
This exam is divided into four domains. With the advent of the new test, references to Windows 3.1 have been removed, and items related to Windows 2000 have been added. Knowledge of DOS functionality is still required. A .pdf is available.

Installation, Configuration and Upgrading (15% of exam)

Diagnosing and Troubleshooting (40% of exam)

Networks (15% of exam)

A couple quick pointers about these tests. You must exercise caution when reading the questions - some are worded in deceptive fashion and some have (and require) multiple correct answers. There may also be answers embedded in a graphic where one points and clicks on the proper area, such as identifying the correct picture of a given component. Be careful! Some wrong answers are deceptively close! This is deliberate on the part of the test writers, because it mirrors the real-world difficulty of some troubleshooting tasks.

The test is not as intimidating as the long list of objectives might seem. Chances are, if you've been playing with your own computer at home, and can install and configure your own OS and change components, a passing grade on A+ is within reach. I know from experience that a reasonably intelligent person with absolutely no prior knowledge of computers can learn enough in a few months to deservedly pass this test. All it takes is a little discipline and keeping the goal in sight.