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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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 Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2006 3:50 am Post subject: A+ certifications.. |
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anyone ever look into these or attempt to get one?
my computer knowledge is fairly limited.. but thinking that if someday i want to have some skill for back home.. studying for the A+ certification wouldn't be a bad move.
anyone went down this road before? or thought of it? |
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BigBlackEquus
Joined: 05 Jul 2005
Location: Lotte controls Asia with bad chocolate!
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| Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2006 5:18 am Post subject: |
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As I understand it, certifications are always a feather in your cap, but any employer looks for experience. My father keeps trying to hire people to help with general computer and network stuff, but they always leave for bigger money within a year.
You can get your certification, and that's great. Take a not-so-great-pay job to gain experience for a year (wash lettuce), and soon you'll move up to fries.. and that's when the big bucks start rollin' in (at least above 50,000 a year, anyway). |
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Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2006 8:55 am Post subject: |
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The courses and prep books have some good knowledge but as a certification A+ won't get you a job, unless maybe you want to get one of those Nerds on Wheels franchises.
Certification tests are in the neighbourhood of $400 USD now, I believe? |
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BigBlackEquus
Joined: 05 Jul 2005
Location: Lotte controls Asia with bad chocolate!
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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I have come to the conclusion that A+ and many of the similar courses are a "get rich quick" cash cow for the school. Sure, you will learn something, but the schools peddle the things like they're what will help you move from McDonalds to a $70,000 job in just a few short weeks/months.
Schools are getting to be like used car salespeople anymore, and it's almost sick. |
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Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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It is what it is- an attempt to establish a benchmark, a standard level of competency. For example it's only one part of a suite of courses that the local tech college uses in their program. It's not perfect. But it's better than having nothing in the space between no knowledge at all and MSCE.
BBE, maybe you just hang around the wrong schools?
Do A+ exam prep courses really promise $70 K jobs to McDonalds employees? |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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| BigBlackEquus wrote: |
I have come to the conclusion that A+ and many of the similar courses are a "get rich quick" cash cow for the school. Sure, you will learn something, but the schools peddle the things like they're what will help you move from McDonalds to a $70,000 job in just a few short weeks/months.
Schools are getting to be like used car salespeople anymore, and it's almost sick. |
Thats my feeling on it as well.
There are tons of $16,000 crash course 10-day courses in MCSE and such. But ever look at those MCSE things? Its like learning Hungarian and Vietnamese combined in 10 days. Its just NOT going to happen. I can't believe they haven't made those courses illegal yet.
Even these A+.. the material to study and know well is a lot of work.. several months at least of hard studying and dedication to it.
Anyways.. I bought the A+ Hardware textbook.. 750 pages.. there is also a A+ Software one with another 750 pages.. and being technical textbooks.. thats a lot of stuff to get through! Not saying I'd be able to get through this, but it is a good preparation for an entry-level positition within the IT industry. |
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Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Tiger Beer wrote: |
| it is a good preparation for an entry-level positition within the IT industry. |
Yes that's an accurate description, I think.
What's the test that Korean adults are always taking?
I forget the name now. Not the TOEFL, but the lower level one.
And the classes are full of Koreans who can't speak a word of English, and the Korean teacher doesn't speak a word of English to the class, but the whole class is geared towards passing the test rather than learning the material... I suspect there are more than a few A+ prep classes like that- how to imporve your odds on a multiple choice test rather than trying to get you to know and understand core competencies. There are probably books like that as well.
But there are also good courses and good books.
And like everything else you get out of it what you put it. |
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Giant
Joined: 14 May 2003
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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I got my A+, after I was in the field for a few years, I aced it without even opeing a book. I am now working on my MCSE, I hope to have that finished soon. The thing is I have more than 10 years in the IT field but notbeing certified always made me get less bucks.
So I think after I get my MCSE I will move onto some Novell courses, and even maybe Cisco.
My advice is... Don't waste time on an A+ (Although you will learn a lot if you are new to computers), go for an MCSE or something better. |
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Giant
Joined: 14 May 2003
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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If you need some study materials, like eBooks or Trancenders let me know. I have a whole heap of them.
Cheers |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:56 am Post subject: |
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i bought a textbook called 'A+ Guide to Hardware: Managing, Maintaining and Troubleshooting' by Thomspon Course Technology. Supposedly the textbook is 'A+ CompTIA certified'.. and this 750 pages of material is pretty much all new to me!
I kid u not.. I wasn't even all that sure what exactly a motherboard was until I read it on page 8 last night. |
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