Is a CompTIA Certification worth it?

Are IT certificates worth it? Whether you’re new to the IT industry looking for your first entry-level job in IT, or you’re a season veteran, we would say earning CompTIA (and other IT-related certifications) is always worth it to aid with your career development.

The reason IT certifications are so valuable is because you will be able to apply for (and successfully gain employment in) a wide range of jobs, all of which offer excellent career progression and longevity. You will also have a great deal of flexibility to work anywhere in the world (work permits/visas depending) and best of all IT offers higher than average salaries, so your earning potential is good too.

We explore some reasons why you should get IT certified, discuss who CompTIA is and explore Cyber Security pathways.

Discover how to get into IT.

3 reasons why you should get IT certified

When you earn IT certificates (especially through CompTIA), you benefit from having a third-party credential validate your skills and knowledge, which is important to employers.

The knowledge gained from your IT training will help you not only help you succeed at job application stage, but also throughout your career on the job. To be successful, you must be good at what you do!

By taking the initiative to earn IT certifications, you show you are both proactive and committed, which employers like to see in their staff.

IT certifications are an excellent way to stand out from your competitors.

Learn how to become an IT Technician.

What is CompTIA?

CompTIA is the world’s leading tech association and the voice of the world’s IT industry. CompTIA is a non-profit trade association providing leading vendor-neutral certification programmes that have been developed in connection with their membership community of IT professionals.

CompTIA is on a mission to help IT professionals discover how fulfilling a career in IT can be. For more than 20 years, CompTIA has been the global leader in vendor-neutral IT certifications in skills ranging from IT support to networking and Cyber Security.

With more than 2 million IT certifications issued worldwide, CompTIA has developed certification exams that correlate directly to today’s current IT job roles. Certifications like CompTIA A+ lay the groundwork for specialised career paths in IT infrastructure or Cyber Security.   

Find out more about CompTIA.                                           

How much do CompTIA courses cost?

Official CompTIA content is the only study material recommended by CompTIA to enable IT professionals prepare for CompTIA exams with confidence. We are a leading provider of CompTIA online certifications and we offer a wide range of training to suit all levels. To explore our latest prices, click on a course below: 

CORE 

• CompTIA IT Fundamentals+
• CompTIA A+ (also available via Virtual Classroom)
• CompTIA Network+ (also available via Virtual Classroom)
• CompTIA Security+

INFRASTRUCTURE 

• CompTIA Cloud+
• CompTIA Linux+
• CompTIA Server+

CYBER SECURITY 

• CompTIA CySA+
• CompTIA CASP+
• CompTIA PenTest+

PROFESSIONAL 

• CompTIA Cloud Essentials

We have also developed some unique programmes which involve CompTIA certifications, amongst others and offer a job placement upon successful completion.

• IT Support Certification Programme with Job Placement
• Cyber Security Certification Programme with Job Placement

Cyber Security career pathways

There are a lot of ‘feeder roles’ that allow you to work in entry-level IT job roles and work your way into Cyber Security roles. The Core Skills Certifications from CompTIA, such as IT Fundamentals+, A+, Network+, and Security+ Certificates are a great way to gain the skills required for a job in IT. Once you have gained enough work experience, you can look to study for a career in Cyber Security.

CompTIA offers three main Cyber Security training courses, that will help you move from IT to a Cyber Security specific role.

These are:

•    CompTIA PenTest+
•    CompTIA CASP+
•    CompTIA CySA+

Entry-level Cyber Security Certification  

CompTIA Security+ Certification – Learn the fundamental knowledge required for a job in Cyber Security and earn the springboard to intermediate-level Cyber Security jobs.

Skills gained through this CompTIA Security+ training include:

• Monitor and secure hybrid environments, including cloud, mobile and IoT.
• Operate with an awareness of applicable laws and policies, including principles of governance, risk and compliance.
• Identify, analyse, and respond to security events and incidents.
• Assess the Cyber Security posture of an enterprise environment and recommend and implement appropriate security solutions.

Intermediate-level Cyber Security Certification

CompTIA Cyber Security Analyst (CySA+) and CompTIA PenTest+ are the training courses you can take at this level, to gain a broad understanding of Cyber Security techniques and skills.

Skills gained through the CompTIA CySA+ training course, include:

• Leverage intelligence and threat detection techniques.
• Analyse and interpret data.
• Identify and address vulnerabilities.
• Suggest preventative measures.
• Effectively respond to and recover from incidents.
• Skills gained through the CompTIA PenTest+ training course, include:
• Plan and scope a penetration testing engagement.
• Understand legal and compliance requirements.
• Perform vulnerability scanning and penetration testing using appropriate tools and techniques, and then analyse the results.
• Produce a written report containing proposed remediation techniques, effectively communicate results to the management team and provide practical recommendations.

Advanced-level Cyber Security Certification

When you start considering job roles that require 5-10 years’ experience, you can look to take the CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) training course, which will support your mastery of cyber security skills.

Skills gained through the CompTIA CASP+ training course, include:

• Architect, engineer, integrate and implement secure solutions across complex environments to support a resilient enterprise.
• Use monitoring, detection, incident response and automation to proactively support ongoing security operations in an enterprise environment.
• Apply security practices to cloud, on-premises, endpoint, and mobile infrastructure while considering cryptographic technologies and techniques.
• Consider the impact of governance, risk, and compliance requirements throughout the enterprise.

Would you like to find out more about a career in IT or Cyber Security? Our Course Consultants are on hand to talk you through your career development goals and help you discover which courses are best for you. Contact us on +44 (0) 20 3198 7700 to get started.