New A+ 2006 Update

CompTIA has recently launched the 2006 update for their A+ Certification. The new update still requires candidates to take two examinations; however, they are able to choose which second exam they will take. The A+ Essentials (220-601) exam is required for all candidates, but three different choices are available for the second: IT Technician (220-602), Remote Technician (220-603), and Depot Technician (220-604). The new update allows A+ candidates to both attain their certification and focus on a branch of specialization for their career. It should be noted that candidates are not limited to only two exams; aside from the Essentials exam, they can take any number of the other three in any order desired.

The 2006 A+ update has not yet completely replaced the 2003 examinations. Although CompTIA had originally planned on phasing out the 2003 A+ exams by the end of 2006, they will be available to candidates well into 2007.

Candidates who are looking to prepare for the exams have a variety of choices available to them. Those who are short on time and can only study at irregular intervals can get study guides, which allows them to prepare and study at whatever pace fits them. For those who want to obtain their A+ certification quickly, various boot camps are available. The camps compress the learning time down to one or two weeks and often have different packages of more than one certification available.