There are four specialised areas of training in the full CompTIA A+ syllabus, of which you need to pass two for competency in A+. But limiting yourself to 2 of the specialised areas might well not equip you for a job. Choose a course with all 4 subjects – for greater confidence in the world of work.

Courses in A+ computer training teach diagnostic techniques and fault-finding – remotely as well as hands on, in addition to building and fixing and having knowledge of antistatic conditions.

If you feel it appropriate to add Network+ to your A+ course, you’ll additionally be equipped to look after networks, allowing you to move further up the career path.

Most training companies only give office hours or extended office hours support; not many go late into the evening (after 8-9pm) or cover weekends properly.

Locate training schools where you can receive help at any time you choose (even if it’s early hours on Sunday morning!) Ensure you get 24×7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not access to a call-in service which takes messages – so you’re consistently being held in a queue for a call-back at a convenient time for them.

It’s possible to find professional training packages that recommend and use direct-access support all the time – at any time of day or night.

Always pick an educator that offers this level of study support. Only proper round-the-clock 24×7 support delivers what is required.

A typical blunder that students everywhere can make is to concentrate on the course itself, instead of focusing on where they want to get to. Universities are stacked to the hilt with direction-less students that chose an ‘interesting’ course – rather than what would get them their end-goal of a job they enjoyed.

Students often train for a single year but end up doing a job for a lifetime. Don’t make the error of choosing what sounds like an ‘interesting’ course and then spend decades in a job you don’t like!

Make sure you investigate your leanings around earning potential and career progression, plus your level of ambition. It’s vital to know what the role will demand of you, which particular exams will be required and how to develop your experience.

Have a conversation with a professional advisor that has a commercial understanding of the realities faced in the industry, and is able to give you detailed descriptions of what you actually do in that role. Researching these areas before commencement of any training program has obvious benefits.

Look at the facts below very carefully if you’re inclined to think that old marketing ploy of ‘guaranteeing’ exams sounds like a benefit to the student:

You’ll pay for it ultimately. It certainly isn’t free – they’ve just worked it into the package price.

It’s well known in the industry that if a student pays for each examination, at the time of taking them, there’s a much better chance they’ll pass first time – since they are conscious of their payment and so will prepare more thoroughly.

Hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you take the exam, and keep hold of your own money. In addition, it’s then your choice where to do the examinations – so you can choose somewhere closer to home.

A lot of current training course providers net big margins because they’re getting paid for examinations upfront then hoping either that you won’t take them, or it will be a long time before you do.

Don’t forget, with the majority of Exam Guarantees – the company decides when you can re-take the exam. Subsequent exam attempts are only authorised at the company’s say so.

On average, exams cost approximately 112 pounds in the last 12 months through UK VUE or Prometric centres. So don’t be talked into shelling out hundreds or thousands of pounds more to have ‘an Exam Guarantee’, when it’s obvious that the most successful method is consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software.

A top of the range training course package should have accredited exam preparation systems.

Avoid depending on unofficial preparation materials for exams. The terminology of their questions can be quite different – and often this creates real issues when the proper exam time arrives.

Ensure that you test whether you’re learning enough by doing quizzes and practice in simulated exam environments to prepare you for taking the real deal.

Copyright 2009 Scott Edwards. Pop over to CareerRetrainingCourses.co.uk or Job Qualifications.