TEN MOST VALUABLE IT CERTIFICATIONS OF 2012

According to the recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the unemployment rate is still over 8%. These people are our neighbors, our friends, and our family; representing each demographic in terms of age, education and talent. There is probably only one thing that unites them all: they do not possess one of the 10 most sought after certifications in the Information Technology (IT) job market.

The ten most critical certifications that would assure Americans jobs and advancement in the IT marketplace are:

1. Project Management Professional (PMP) manages projects to a successful conclusion, on-time, on-budget, and using the resources allocated.
2. Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) certifications validate your skills in deploying, designing, and maintaining Microsoft technology such as Windows, SQL, SharePoint and Exchange.
3. CompTIA’s A+ certification indicates competency to install networks, conduct preventative maintenance, secure them and troubleshoot them.
4. Cisco Certified Network Associates (CCNA) installs, configures, runs and troubleshoots medium-sized routed and switched networks.
5. Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) cortication validate your skills on implementing and troubleshooting a particular Microsoft Server technology, such as Windows, SQL, SharePoint and Exchange.
6. CompTIA’s Network+ certification demonstrates competency to manage, maintain, troubleshoot, install and configure basic network infrastructures.
7. Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) validates the ability to plan, implement, verify and troubleshoot local and wide-area enterprise networks and work collaboratively with specialists on advanced security, voice, wireless and video solutions.
8. NetApp Certified Data Management Administrator (NCDA) have proven skills in performing in-depth support, administrative functions, and performance management for NetApp storage appliances running the Data ONTAP® operating system in NFS and Windows® (CIFS) multiprotocol environments.
9. IT Infrastructure Library certification (ITIL) demonstrates the expertise of professionals in tech management with a three tiered program of basic, intermediate and advanced certification.
10. CompTIA’s Security+ certification demonstrates knowledge of system security, network infrastructure, access control and organizational security.

Although the above certifications may not guarantee you a job (extenuating circumstances must be taken into account), they certainly improve your chances of gaining meaningful and stable employment.

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Cisco Learning Network Now Features CompTIA Certifications

By Janet Pinkerton

The Cisco Learning Network, the Cisco certification social learning community, now features a dedicated page about CompTIA certification. The page educates IT professionals about how CompTIA and Cisco certifications help build strong career credentials for networking professionals.

Vendor-neutral CompTIA certifications, specifically CompTIA A+ and Network+, frequently lead to either Cisco’s CCENT or CCNA certifications for a well-rounded resume. In addition, test results have shown that CompTIA Network+ certified professionals who move on to Cisco’s CCNA exam have a higher pass rate than those who are not Network+ certified.

“Networking is increasingly important in today’s IT business operations and in the home as well,” said Terry Erdle, CompTIA executive vice president, skills certification. “Candidates who begin with CompTIA’s vendor-neutral certifications like A+, Network+ and Security+ improve their chances of passing the exams for Cisco’s CCENT or CCNA certifications when they take them. A combination of CompTIA and Cisco credentials on a resume tells potential employers that a candidate has the critical knowledge and skills needed in today’s IT job market.”

To build upon that synergy, CompTIA and Cisco have worked closely together for years to support IT workers’ career development in routing and switching. And now the CompTIA page on The Cisco Learning Network explains the complementary features of A+, Network+, CCENT and CCNA certifications in an easy-to-use fashion.

“The networking field is an area with plentiful opportunities for workers to begin or enhance their careers,” said Jeanne Beliveau-Dunn, vice president and general manager, Learning@Cisco. “To thrive in the networking industry, individuals must have foundational networking knowledge such as can be assessed by CompTIA’s A+ and Network+ certifications, as well as practical expertise in a variety of technology areas supported through CCENT, CCNA and other Cisco career certifications.

“As we continue to see significant growth in the job market for network engineers, technicians and architects, Cisco is dedicated to extending our reach into new communities to deliver the skills needed to support the growth of talent worldwide,” Beliveau-Dunn said.

The CompTIA page on the Cisco Learning Network links to resources for taking the CompTIA Network + and A+ and Cisco certification exams. In addition, the page also presents the new CompTIA IT Career Roadmap illustrating how certifications from CompTIA and Cisco advance IT skills and job roles from novice to expert level in routing and switching.

Look for CompTIA and Cisco to work together in the future by offering joint promotions to help IT professionals interested in becoming certified. For more information on CompTIA, sign up for the CompTIA Connect Newsletter. For more information on Cisco, sign up for the Cisco Learning Network.

Source: CompTIA Blog

CompTIA launched dedicated certification website!

CompTIA has been delivering IT certification exams for more than 15 years and is committed to continually improving the service it provides to the industry. To help you find which certification best fits your business and career needs, CompTIA has launched a dedicated website with certification information and news tailored to individual IT professionals, corporations, government and educators.

CompTIA A+ exams will be updated with Windows 7 content

CompTIA Press Releases: Sep 28, 2010

CompTIA A+ Certification Exam Update Planned with New Content on Windows 7 Operating System

New content will be added to existing exams in January 2011

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., September 28, 2010 – CompTIA, the leading provider of vendor neutral skills certifications for information technology (IT) professionals, announced today it will update its flagship CompTIA A+ certification exams with new content related to the Windows 7 operating system.
The Windows 7 content will be integrated into existing CompTIA A+ exams beginning in January 2011.
"The ever accelerating technology adoption curve places increasing importance on the need to continually update the skills of the high-tech workforce," said Terry Erdle, senior vice president, skills certification, CompTIA. "CompTIA is committed to helping IT professionals keep their skills current and fresh through regular updates of the content of our certification exams."
The changes were recommended by the CompTIA A+ Certification Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from ASI Electronics, HP, Lenovo, Ricoh, Sharp and other organizations that support the certification.
Introduced in 2009, Windows 7 is the latest release in a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, netbooks, tablet PCs and media center PCs.
Windows 7 content will be added to both tests required to achieve CompTIA A+ certification: CompTIA A+ Essentials (220-701) and CompTIA A+ Practical Application (220-702).
The new content will appear in the following objective domains:

• CompTIA A+ Essentials (220-701) – Objective Domains 3.0 (Operating Systems) and 4.0 (Software and Networking)
• CompTIA A+ Practical Application (220-702) – Objective Domains 2.0 (Operating Systems) and 4.0 (Security).

The new content will be added as a rolling change to the existing exams beginning in January 2011. Training providers and courseware publishers have been notified of the upcoming changes and are making any necessary adjustments to their existing programs.

"CompTIA A+ delivers a comprehensive measurement of the core skills and knowledge that are universal for any IT technician, regardless of job role or responsibility," Erdle said. "It’s recognized throughout the industry as the best credential an individual can obtain to launch a career in IT."
CompTIA A+ certification is an ISO/ANSI accredited exam that validates competence in areas such as installation, preventative maintenance, networking, security, troubleshooting, customer service and communications. More than 750,000 people worldwide have become CompTIA A+ certified since the program’s inception in 1993.

CompTIA certifications are globally recognized in the private and public sectors and are required or recommended by many employers, certifying and educational bodies. Because all CompTIA certifications are vendor-neutral, they’re relevant across multiple networks, operating systems and product lines; and they equip IT workers with greater versatility and a broader set of business and technical skills. More than 1.85 million CompTIA certifications have been awarded to IT professionals around the world.