This document summarizes updates to CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+ certification exams. It discusses the addition of performance-based questions to these exams starting in late 2012/early 2013. These will involve simulated environments to test hands-on troubleshooting skills, and will reduce the number of multiple choice questions. The goal is for the exams to better measure practical skills required for IT jobs.
4. Employment of U.S. Workers in Core IT Positions
CONFIDENTIAL – FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY UNTIL
FINALIZED
SOC
code Computer and IT Occupations Employment
Average
Annual
Salary
2010-2020
Employment
Change
2010-2020
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 347,200 $69,160 96,600 28%
15-1179
Information Security Analysts, Web Developers, and
Computer Network Architects
302,300 $75,660 65,700 22%
15-1111 Computer and Information Research Scientists 28,200 $100,660 5,300 19%
15-1141 Database Administrators 110,800 $73,490 33,900 31%
Computer Occupations, All -- $73,710 -- 22%
17-2061 Computer Hardware Engineers 70,000 $98,810 6,300 9%
11-3021 Computer and Information Systems Managers 307,900 $115,780 55,800 18%
Total 3,954,100
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment Statistics, March 2012
6. Investments by Firm Size
6
% 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
7. Case Study
7
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
http://www.testbells.com/vendor/CompTIA
8. CompTIA A+ Certification
Vendor Neutral
Certification
2 exams
220-801
220-802
ISO Certified
ANSI Accredited
Kept current via
Continuing Ed
program
Measures
Necessary
Competencies
for today’s Entry
Level IT
Professionals
A+ Knowledge and Skills
• Installation, configuring and troubleshooting of
the following:
• PC hardware (including laptops and mobile
devices, and custom configurations
• 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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9. 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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http://www.testbells.com/vendor/CompTIA
10. 2011 IT Technician
Job Role Survey
PC Technicians (71%)
Field Support Technicians (65%)
Help Desk Technicians (64%)
Customer Service Technicians (48%)
Network Support Technicians (41%)
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Survey respondents chose the following job
roles for which A+ is most often required
11. 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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12. Organizations that Require
or Mandate A+ Professionals
12
Government Organizations Corporate Organizations
14. 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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http://www.testbells.com/vendor/CompTIA
15. A+ Exam Details
• 2 exams
Certification
Requirement
• 220-801
Exam Numbers • 220-802
• Maximum of 90 questions for each
exam; 90 minutes to take each exam Length
• 12 months hands-on lab or field
experience
Recommended
Experience
• 220-801: 675
• 220-802: 700
• (Scale of 900)
Passing Score
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16. CompTIA A+ Objectives
A+ 220-801
PC Hardware
Networking
Laptops
Printers
Operational
Procedures
A+ 220-802
Operating Systems
Security
Mobile Devices
Troubleshooting
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17. 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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18. Exam objectives and
other information
For exam objectives and other information, go to this page
http://www.testbells.com/vendor/CompTIA
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19. Performance Based Questions
19
• 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.
• 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.
Performance-
Based Question
Description
21. 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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http://www.testbells.com/vendor/CompTIA
22. New “demo” video of CompTIA
exam experience
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/12-10-
09/What_Is_A_Performance-Based_Question.aspx
22
Video demonstrates what a candidate can expect, from the beginning of a
CompTIA exam to the end.
23. 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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http://www.testbells.com/vendor/CompTIA
24. 24
Thank You! Back to
Stick around & Q&As
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Notas del editor
We’ve had questions about the nature of the performance based questions on the exam.
Candidates will need to be familiar with the predominant installation, configuration and troubleshooting techniques required of a PC technician in order to perform well on the performance based questions. These questions are designed to measure their familiarity with performing basic tasks that technicians should be able to perform. These could include command line tools, control panel utilities, anything that a qualified PC technician should know.
At the back of the exam objectives, we include a proposed hardware and software list that should help in setting up labs or practice scenarios for students to gain practical knowledge to address this type of question.
And, CompTIA has developed a video that walks a prospective test candidate through what to expect in taking a CompTIA exam—including examples of possible performance based item formats.
Here we have links to videos, one on YouTube that is intended to walk students through everything they can expect from the time they sit down to a computer to take a CompTIA exam; and the other on the CompTIA website that includes a description of a performance based question and a video of just a performance based hypothetical example based on what might be required of an A+ candidate.