A + Certification was created by a non-profit making organization called Comp TIA. This test accesses and accredits the capabilities of computer technicians. It comprises of two exams to check the knowledge of computer hardware and software- A+ essentials and an elective exam. The certification is vendor neutral, so the technician can work on any system. There are some pre-requisites to get A + Certification; some of them are listed below.



- The person attempting to give this exam should have a thorough knowledge of Microsoft Windows.

- He/she should have 500 hours of work experience in this field.

- The candidate should clear two tests, A+ essentials and an elective exam. The elective exam could be any one of the three i.e. IT Technician, Remote Support Technician or Depot Technician.

A+ certification adds value to your profile as an entry-level computer technician. Companies will prefer to hire you, as compared to a non-certified computer technician. They can promote their business with the A+ logo, which can be a crowd puller. The certification is well recognized not only in IT industry but also otherwise. It can open up new career options, you can upgrade yourself with other certification courses like, Linux +, Network +, Server + and so on.

Preparing for this certification test is not difficult. All you need is a little training and some hands on experience. However, before you decide to go for this test, it is essential to gain knowledge through books, classroom training, online training etc. They teach you about the various hardware parts, its functions, uses, software applications, booting and so on. Before you appear for A+ Certification Test, there is a whole lot of stuff that you need to know. Here is the list of what you should learn.

Disassemble and Reassemble – If you practice disassembling and reassembling you will be able to understand each component of the computer. This is the best way to learn about what goes into the making of a system.

Ability to identify hardware parts – Classroom training enables you to identify various parts of the computer, its characteristic, its name, the role it plays and so on. Some of the common hardware parts are floppy disk drive, hard drive, optical disk drive, motherboard, CPU, external ports, cables etc.

Ability to identify operating system – It is essential for you to identify the various operating systems. Some of them are Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac operating systems, Linux and so on. Though the A + certification mainly concern the knowledge of windows operating system, it is good to update your understanding about other operating systems as well. You should also be aware of the booting process.

You will require some tools for practicing the assembling of computers. Ensure that you have them handy when you manually work on the system. You would need a grounding pad, Anti-static bracelet, Screwdriver, calculator and of course a computer with Windows Operating System. Prepare yourself thoroughly for the A+ certification by taking up a training course. It will definitely help you a great deal!