New A+ Exams in 2006

CompTIA has revamped their testing system for the A+ Certification for 2006. Although they have retained the two exam system which still includes the A+ Essentials exam, the second exam that A+ candidates must take is chosen from a number of different available exams. As of November 2006, three exams are available: 220-602 for IT Technicians, 220-603 for Remote Support Technicians, and 220-604 for Depot Technicians.

The A+ 220-602 is catered towards individuals who expect to work in a corporate or mobile environment in which there is a high level of in-person customer interaction and tests an A+ candidate in installation, building, configuration, troubleshooting, and other skills required of an IT Technician. For those who expect to interact with customers largely through email or telephone contact, the A+ 220-602 tests the ability to troubleshoot and interact with customers through remote means of communication. The A+ 220-604 focuses on a candidate's skills in work scenarios that emphasize computer repair and troubleshooting.

If candidates are interested in obtaining their certification in a short period of time, a number of different boot camps are available that shorten the preparation and study time down to about a week. This allows the candidates to prepare and obtain their A+ certification in as short an amount of time as possible. For those with tighter schedules, various study books are also available that will allow them to study and prepare for the exams on their own timetable.