Updates on CompTIA A+, Network+ and
Security+ exams
Carol Balkcom
Director, Product Management
CompTIA
A+ Certification
For IT Helpdesk and Remote Support Professionals
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CompTIA product stack
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Employment of U.S. Workers in Core IT Positions
SOC
code Computer and IT Occupations
Employment
Average
Annual
Salary
2010-2020
Employment 2010-2020
Change
Outlook
15-1150 Computer Support Specialists (A+ relevant here)
607,100
$46,260
110,000
18%
15-1132 Software Developers, Applications
520,800
$87,790
143,800
28%
15-1121 Computer Systems Analysts
544,400
$77,740
120,400
22%
15-1133 Software Developers, Systems Software
392,300
$94,180
127,200
32%
15-1131 Computer Programmers
363,100
$71,380
43,700
12%
15-1142 Network and Computer Systems Administrators
Information Security Analysts, Web Developers, and
15-1179
Computer Network Architects
15-1111 Computer and Information Research Scientists
347,200
$69,160
96,600
28%
302,300
$75,660
65,700
22%
28,200
$100,660
5,300
19%
15-1141 Database Administrators
110,800
$73,490
33,900
31%
--
$73,710
--
22%
70,000
$98,810
6,300
9%
307,900
$115,780
55,800
18%
Computer Occupations, All
17-2061 Computer Hardware Engineers
11-3021 Computer and Information Systems Managers
Total
3,954,100
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment Statistics, March 2012
CONFIDENTIAL – FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY UNTIL
FINALIZED
IT Hiring
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Investments by Firm Size
% expecting to increase investment
Staffing Levels
On the hiring front, medium size IT firms
(100-499 employees) are most likely to
add new staff over the next six months.
With a range of new technologies sought
by customers (e.g. cloud, big data,
business process automation, mobility) IT
firms must be vigilant in maintaining high
levels of expertise through internal
training and/or new hires.
Source: CompTIA IT Industry Business Confidence Index – Q3 Release, July 2012
Base: 445 U.S. IT industry executives
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Case Study
Chuck Cooper, program director for certification at IBM believes:
To be Proficient in Technology…. you need to build your
skills and take training
Certifications - are a baseline measurement of skills and
a consistent measure that validates the skills you achieve
Certifications - build confidence on the part of
prospective customers, sellers and business partners
Certifications - listed on a proposal denote people with
whom you can collaborate
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CompTIA A+ Certification
Vendor Neutral
Certification
2 exams
220-801
220-802
A+ Knowledge and Skills
• Installation, configuring and troubleshooting of
the following:
• PC hardware (including laptops and mobile
devices, and custom configurations
ISO Certified
ANSI Accredited
Kept current via
Continuing Ed
program
Measures
Necessary
Competencies
for today’s Entry
Level IT
Professionals
• Printers
• Networking components
• Operating systems including Windows 7
Enterprise
• Operational procedures including safety,
environment and customer communications
• Security (22% of exam 802)
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Career Advancement for
IT Professionals
Target Audience
Individuals working in or planning to work in technical support roles such as:
Field
Support
Technician
Desktop
Support
Technician
Bench
Technician
Helpdesk
Technician
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2011 IT Technician
Job Role Survey
Survey respondents chose the following job
roles for which A+ is most often required
 PC Technicians (71%)
 Field Support Technicians (65%)
 Help Desk Technicians (64%)
 Customer Service Technicians (48%)
 Network Support Technicians (41%)
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Why A+
Over 900,000 A+ Certified IT Professionals
Among Top 10 certifications in the industry (DICE
TechRepublic, New Horizons)
Companies such as Ricoh, Dell and CompuCom Have
Made A+ Certification Mandatory
U.S. DoD 8570.1 Mandates A+ Certification for
Level I Technical Personnel in Information Assurance
CompTIA A+ Certified by ISO and Accredited by the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
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Organizations that Require
or Mandate A+ Professionals
Government Organizations
Corporate Organizations
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POLLS
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CompTIA Website:
Companies that use A+
There is a page on the CompTIA website that lists
companies that use CompTIA certifications, with specific
certifications that they use.
http://certification.comptia.org/ExploreCareers/whohires.aspx
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A+ Exam Details
Certification
Requirement
Exam Numbers
Length
Recommended
Experience
Passing Score
• 2 exams
• 220-801
• 220-802
• Maximum of 90 questions for each
exam; 90 minutes to take each exam
• 12 months hands-on lab or field
experience
• 220-801: 675
• 220-802: 700
• (Scale of 900)
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CompTIA A+ Objectives
A+ 220-801
A+ 220-802
PC Hardware
Operating Systems
Networking
Security
Laptops
Mobile Devices
Printers
Operational
Procedures
Troubleshooting
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Changes from the 700 series A+
1. Windows 7 Enterprise has been added to the covered Windows operating
systems
2. Mobile Devices (802: 3.0) is a new subject matter domain. It includes Apple
iOS and Android. Coverage includes just what a helpdesk technician would
be expected to do: Establish network connectivity for the device, configure
email, set up security, and troubleshoot.
3. Virtualization (802: 1.9) is new
4. All troubleshooting is in one exam (802: 4.0), more extensive, and organized
by specific hardware/software area (e.g. hard drives, display, etc.)
5. Troubleshooting wireless (802: 4.5) is new
6. There is more coverage of troubleshooting security issues (802: 4.7)
7. SOHO-specific security is new (802: 2.5,2.6)
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Exam objectives and
other information
For exam objectives and other information, go to this Netcomm
page: http://www.netcomlearning.com/packages/8000/A+-and-Network+-Certification-BootCamp-training.html
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Performance Based Questions
• For performance based items, the A+ candidate will
be given a scenario/problem, and will be prompted
to push a button to launch a simulated environment
that is created via software.
PerformanceBased Question
Description
• The simulated environment should be familiar to a
PC support professional with the level of hands-on
experience recommended for the A+ exam.
• Once the simulation is launched, the candidate will
need to perform whatever tasks s/he believes
appropriate, based on the given scenario and the
tools/information that are provided in the question.
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Performance based questions in
Network+, Security+
Timeframe and notes
Performance based questions will be added to
Network+ and Security+ on this schedule:
 Network+: November 2012
 Security+: January 2013
 Same objectives
 Same number of questions on exam (multiple choice will
be reduced to accommodate performance based)
 Hands-on training or experience becomes much more
important
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New “demo” video of CompTIA
exam experience
Video demonstrates what a candidate can expect, from the beginning of a
CompTIA exam to the end.
YouTube Video
•
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NsbJLkHuuo
Performance based questions section
• Begins at roughly the 5 minute mark
CompTIA website (performance based portion only)
•
http://certification.comptia.org/news/12-1009/What_Is_A_Performance-Based_Question.aspx
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Why performance based questions?
• A better measure of skills, not just memorization
• Represents CompTIA’s interest in using the latest in testing
technologies to the benefit of the industry
• Intended as a better indication of a certified candidate’s readiness
for the job. In the words of a member of the CompTIA Security+
Certification Advisory Committee from the U.S. Navy:
A certification is not intended to be the introductory training tool for an
inexperienced and untrained individual.....a certification is intended to attest that
the individual has already attained the requisite training and experience and has
proven it with an industry-recognized standard (certification exam).
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