CompTIA A+, the globally recognized skills certification for technology professionals who provide technical support, has been updated to align with the changing nature of the hybrid workforce.
CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology (IT) industry and workforce, announced today that the new version of CompTIA A+ (220-1101 and 220-1102) is available worldwide. CompTIA A+ is trusted by employers around the world as validation of IT professionals’ ability to think on their feet and perform critical support tasks.
The new CompTIA A+ certification exam:
- Reflects the increased reliance on software-as-a-service applications for remote work.
- Includes more focus on troubleshooting and remotely diagnosing and correcting common software, hardware or connectivity problems.
- Places greater emphasis on changing core technologies, from cloud infrastructure and IoT device security to data management and scripting.
- Expands coverage of major operating systems, their use cases and how to keep them running properly.
The new exam also recognizes the changing nature of the tech support job role, where many tasks are sent to specialized providers. CompTIA A+ certified personnel are better able to assess whether it is best to fix something on site, or to save time and money by sending proprietary technologies directly to vendors.
Individuals who achieve CompTIA A+ certification have demonstrated the skills to install and configure end-user devices and software; connect devices to networks; perform basic cybersecurity mitigations; troubleshoot common problems to diagnose and resolve issues; and demonstrate basic knowledge of scripting, the cloud, and virtualization.
Accompanying the release of the new exam is the availability of a comprehensive suite of learning and exam preparation resources including:
- CertMaster Learn for A+, an interactive online learning experience featuring videos, performance-based interactives and practice questions.
- CertMaster Labs for A+, hands-on 3D workbench simulations and virtual machine-based labs.
- CertMaster Practice for A+, an adaptive test prep tool that assesses knowledge and exam readiness.
Complete details on CompTIA A+, including exam objectives, practice questions and exam study resources, are available at https://www.comptia.org/certifications/a.
Canadian Tech Hiring Activity Continues At A Steady Pace: CompTIA Study
Posted in Commentary with tags CompTIA on August 1, 2022 by itnerdThe growth trajectory for technology-related employment is Canada is expected to continue in 2022 following a year in which employers hired more than 100,000 tech workers, according to new research published by CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology (IT) industry and workforce.
Net tech employment in Canada reached an estimated 1,235,692 workers at the end of 2021, an increase of nearly 9% over the previous year, CompTIA’s “State of the Tech Workforce Canada” report reveals. CompTIA projects tech-related will grow by 1.5% this year – more than 19,000 net new jobs.
Employer job postings, another layer of insight into the tech job market, also bounced back in 2021 as many employers resuming hiring activity as the Canadian economy recovered. In 2021 employer job postings for technology positions jumped 54,552 from 2020, the equivalent of a 59% increase. By comparison, job postings for all occupation increased 50%.
Slightly more than half of employer job postings for tech jobs in 2021 specified a required level of work experience, with the remaining 42% unspecified. This indicates that many employers continue to evaluate their recruiting practices to accept more candidates for consideration, such as those with industry-recognized certifications rather than traditional university degrees.
While technology companies operate and tech jobs are available across the country, Canada’s tech community is concentrated in metropolitan areas, led by Toronto. At 10%, Toronto has the highest concentration of net tech employment as a percentage of its overall employment. Montreal (8.3%), Vancouver (7.8%) and Calgary (6.4%) all have a higher concentrations of technology workers than the national benchmark (6.3%).
Three metro markets, again led by Toronto, dominate tech hiring projections for 2022 CompTIA estimates that 5,756 net new tech jobs will be created in Toronto this year. Vancouver (+3,621) and Montreal (+2,705) are also expected to see solid job growth, with smaller number of job gains anticipated in Edmonton and Calgary.
Since 2016, net tech employment has increased by an estimated 213,432 net new jobs, with steady growth during this span, except for a decline in the COVID-19 pandemic impacted year of 2020. Net tech employment accounted for approximately 6.3% of the total Canadian workforce in 2021. The tech industry delivers approximately 5.3% of direct economic value, which translates to $104.5 billion CAD.
CompTIA’s “State of the Tech Workforce Canada” report provides an in-depth look at employment, economic impact, technology trends, salaries, hiring activity and more across the provinces and metropolitan areas of Canada. The report draws upon several data sources, including Canadian government statistics (StatsCan), CompTIA, Lightcast™ (formerly EMSI Burning Glass) and more. The report is available at https://www.comptia.org/content/research/comptia-state-of-tech-workforce-canada.
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