The core skill certifications

The CompTIA F+ certification

This certification is for all those who are looking at a career switch to the IT sector. The certification imparts basic knowledge of IT terminology and IT concepts, fundamentals of the database, understand the concepts of application software, and the objective of application architecture. You will also know about the set of necessary infrastructures with a wireless network.
The CompTIA A+ certification

In this certification, you will gain knowledge of hardware and its components, networking, and various networking protocols, learn to configure and connect mobile devices like tablets, smartphones, and others. You also will learn to troubleshoot hardware and software with decision making trees, learn to work on various operating systems like Linux, Windows, iOS, windows, and others.
The CompTIA Network+ certification:

This certification helps you to gain expertise in information technology infrastructure and network protocols. With this certification, you can design networks, configure, manage, and troubleshoot networks. You can identify the advantages and pitfalls of the current network system.

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The Expected difference between CompTIA Security+

Every three years CompTIA releases a new and updated version of its exams. This year, on October 4, 2020, CompTIA is releasing the new Security+ SY0-601 Exam. Below we will take a look at what we believe the difference between CompTIA Security+ SY0-501 and SY0-601 may be.

The current Security+ SY0-501 was released on October 4, 2017, and will be retired in the spring of 2021, probably in March – there is a 6 month “grace period” where these two versions will overlap and you will actually be able to choose which exam you prefer to sit for (see bottom of this post for more on that).
How much of the content will change?

Between the new Security+ SY0-601 and the current SY0-501 we should expect about a 25% overall change in content with the rest being carried forward. The new exam will likely focus more on:
Cybersecurity threats
Risk management techniques
IoT threats – Alexa said that this isn’t a problem…
…and hands-on skills using technologies and tools

The main exam objectives will be re-organized to better reflect the changing emphasis of industry cybersecurity trends as well as instructional design enhancements.
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Cybersecurity Job Growth

Having CompTIA’s Security+ certification helps prepare you for a career in cybersecurity, a field growing so fast and with such high salaries that you could have your pick of positions.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) cites a median annual wage for information security analysts of $90,120 as of May, 2015. Job demand for information security analysts is projected by the BLS to grow 18 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations (seven percent), and even higher than for all computer occupations (12 percent).

Unsurprisingly, IT specialists and information security analysts tend to cluster around our nation’s capital, where they earn the nation’s highest average salaries in the sector. Typical annual mean wages in the Washington, DC area are $116,100, says the BLS.

Courseware developers have only had a few months to conduct courseware updates, with early content releases expected mid or late August. Interface Technical Training will immediately begin reviewing and preparing for delivery. Our planned preparation date is December 2017, and we will be ready to identify the course version on our website. After potential students read this review, we may be driven to provide a couple more cycles of the SY0-401 exam content. Sales and marketing may determine the shift in delivery schedule based on customer demand.

More Info: what can you do with an a+ certification

CCENT and CCNA certifications

Next, decide on a Cisco or a Microsoft path. If you plan on working with Cisco devices, you can follow up with the Cisco CCENT and CCNA certifications, and should be able to get them within five to six months, followed by three more exams for the CCNP in another six months.

If you want to work with Microsoft products, the MCSA certifications are the logical place to start and you can typically get certified within four to six months, depending on which certificates you pursue. If you obtain the MCSA: Windows Server 2012 certification, you can follow it with two additional exams to earn one of the MCSE certifications. Each MCSE will take about four more months.

The ideal certification track of a network administrator is not set in stone, however the learning plan laid out above will help you build a well-rounded and highly marketable skill set, and prepare you to perform in the majority of network administration positions.

Microsoft’s mobile-friendly Windows 8 OS isn’t being adopted as quickly as the tech giant would like. Many organizations are sticking with Windows 7 so this certification is still preferred in many circles. An interesting article in Forbes suggests Windows 8 adoption may pick up around 2014, as the BYOD (bring your own device) trend gains steam in corporate culture.

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Ways Certification Can Lead to Bigger Things

One of the first things you can do to prepare long before test day is to download the CompTIA Exam Objectives. Read through the official exam objectives as outlined by CompTIA. They can be downloaded directly from the CompTIA website at https://www.comptia.org/training/resources/exam-objectives

This document is more than an explanation of the exam requirements; it can be considered a master guide as you go through the Computer Technician program. Use it as the ultimate checklist for your studies.

Students currently enrolled in the Career Step Computer Technician training program will want to register for the 220-701 and 220-702 exams since our current course has been designed around the 701 and 702 objectives. These exams will continue to be available until August 31, 2013. Career Step is currently revising the Computer Technician training program to meet the new 220-801 and 220-802 objectives and prepare students for the new exams. We’ll keep you posted on the revised program’s availability.
Regardless of the career path chosen, the CompTIA A+ Certification will open doors in the information technology field.
Many individuals who obtain their certification find employment as network administrators, network technicians, network installers, help desk technicians and IT cable installers.
More and more prominent organizations are requiring their employees to have a CompTIA A+ Certification. It’s a technical prerequisite option for IT technicians seeking to join the Apple Consultants Network and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense.

More Info: a+ certification job opportunities

What equipment do I need to prepare for Network+ certified

The absolute bare minimum to get ready for the exam:
A computer running at least one of the follow operating systems: Windows (7 or newer), OS X, or Linux
Software (most if not all of these you can find free versions of):
Packet sniffer
Port scanner
Wi-Fi Analyzer
Firewall
A notebook, as in the paper type
Access to practice questions
The Internet

Nice to have.
Access to the modern operating systems: Windows (7 or newer), OS X, and Linux
Crimper
Cable tester
Punchdown tools
Wireless router
Switch
Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable
RJ45s

I would recommend that you do not go and spend lots of money upfront getting these items. Instead, purchase them if and only if you need them while preparing.

Interested in taking a certification prep course? Enroll in StraighterLine’s low-cost CompTIA Network A+ Certification prep course and prepare for your exam at an affordable cost!

About the Author: Scott Ford, M.Ed., is an award-winning senior instructional designer and President of Scott Ford Consulting. He has had the honor of developing training courses that have been used by the DEA, FBI, CIA, law enforcement officers, and oil and gas companies. Scott is CompTIA A+, Network+, MCP, MCDST, and MOS certified.
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Best certifications in database, analytics and other data technologies

Database technologies remain foundational to IT operations, while growth in big data and analytics initiatives is driving new career opportunities.

Certifications tend to be built around a single provider’s platform, including:
Certified data professional (CDP): The Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP) offers one of the most comprehensive certifications for data professionals. The CDP exists in five tiers, ranging from foundation-level to executive management, and you can focus on specific roles, such as business analytics, data governance, enterprise data architecture, data analytics and data warehousing.
Oracle certified professional: Oracle, the world’s leading database provider, offers certification in a range of database professions, from database administration and database application development to analytics, data warehousing and big data.
SAP certified technology associate — SAP HANA 2.0: This certification demonstrates your ability to install, manage, monitor, migrate and troubleshoot SAP’s database technology.
Microsoft SQL Server certifications: Like Oracle, Microsoft offers a range of certifications, including database administration, business intelligence, and data management and analytics.
CCIE data center: This Cisco certification demonstrates expert-level skills required to plan, prepare, operate, monitor and troubleshoot complex data center networks.

According to the Robert Half Technology Salary Guide, employers prefer to hire certified professionals, especially those who have college degrees and real-world experience to go along with them. Those who put in the effort to obtain credentials can expect larger salaries and quicker movement up the career ladder, not to mention a healthy shot of self-confidence.
More Info: jobs you can get with a comptia a+ certification