CompTIA stands for the Computing Technology Industry Association. It is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to providing vendor-neutral certification in IT to anyone who wants to establish a strong foothold in the IT industry. More than two million CompTIA certifications have been issued worldwide. With this blog post, we intend to answer the all-encompassing question: what is CompTIA certification?
The information technology industry is on the right track to reach an astonishing $5 trillion in 2021. Experts predict that the IT sector will have an estimated 5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2024. More and more individuals are getting hired for various IT positions, most notably in infrastructure, software development, cybersecurity, and data management.
CompTIA offers certifications for all of these segments and more. MyComputerCareer can guide you through them with ease.
Certification Types
CompTIA certs are divided into four main categories based on the type of skills they develop.
Core Skills Certifications
If you’re a beginner in IT and don’t have much experience yet, you should start from CompTIA’s core certification training. Here, trainees will learn all the basic knowledge they need regardless of what they hope their career path will be – networking, computer systems, computer hardware, software, or something else entirely.
The following exams are included in the Core Skills group:
- CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ – Ideal for beginners since it covers hardware basics, software installation, security risks and prevention, and basic networking.
- CompTIA A+ – For individuals seeking a career as a help desk technician, support, networking, or service center technician. An “entry-level rite of passage” among IT certifications.
- CompTIA Network+ – For those who have at least nine months of experience working with networks. This exam covers networking technologies, security, topologies, media, troubleshooting, installation and configuration, and similar.
- CompTIA Security+ – This CompTIA certification is all about identity management, cryptography, network security concepts, vulnerabilities, threats, access control, etc.
Infrastructure Certifications
No large-scale business can function without an IT professional managing its data center and network operations. Infrastructure is the cornerstone of IT, and with this set of exams, you can become an expert in Linux operating systems, cloud technologies, and server infrastructure.
- CompTIA Cloud+ – The Cloud+ CompTIA exam focuses on cloud technologies, cloud markets, hybrid and multi-cloud solutions, and more.
- CompTIA Linux+ – Meant for Linux network administrators with at least 12 months of experience in Linux administration.
- CompTIA Server+ – Recommended for server administrators with 18 – 24 months of experience and an A+ certification, this CompTIA training is recognized by the US Department of Defense.
Cyber Security Certifications
Cyber-attacks have become the norm for both large and small businesses. According to statistics, 1001 data breaches happened in the United States in 2020. 70% of these attacks were caused by outsiders – people not involved with the business they were targeting. 86% of the breaches were financially motivated, while 43% were attacks on web applications.
In the face of these numbers, it is no surprise that the cybersecurity industry is growing rapidly. CompTIA keeps up with the demand and offers a range of professional certifications for those interested in chasing a career in cybersecurity.
- CompTIA CySA+ (CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst) – CySA+ credential holders are knowledgeable about system threat-detection tools and how data and behavioral analytics are used to secure systems and applications from cyber threats.
- CompTIA CASP+ (CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner) – An extremely advanced certification, the CASP+ is perfect for master-level IT professionals. Ten years of IT administration experience and five years of technical security experience are recommended before trying for this CompTIA certificate.
- CompTIA PenTest+ (CompTIA Penetration Testing) – Covers using penetration testing to recognize and manage network vulnerabilities.
Additional Certifications
Finally, CompTIA also offers a group of certs that don’t really fit into any previous categories. They are focused on project management, the business end of cloud computing, and training.
- CompTIA Project+
- CompTIA CTT+
- CompTIA Cloud Essentials+
CompTIA Stackable Certifications
A stackable certification is a specially tailored group of certs that you should obtain in a specific order to maximize your chances of landing a job or promotion you’re after. These Career Pathways (as CompTIA calls them) are designed to validate the certificate holders’ skills, expand their knowledge, and open more job opportunities for them.
There are two distinct CompTIA Career Pathways:
- CompTIA Infrastructure Career Pathway, with an emphasis on servers, networks, and Linux
- CompTIA Cybersecurity Career Pathway, for cybersecurity professional roles
Each one of these is divided into three experience levels, though the Infrastructure Pathway only has two levels:
- Specialist – for IT professionals with 0-2 years of experience
- Professional – for IT professionals with 2-5 years of experience
- Expert – for IT professionals with more than 5 years of experience
Infrastructure Pathway
The first, Specialist level, is comprised of two options:
- CompTIA IT Operations Specialist (A+ and Network+ exams)
- CompTIA Systems Support Specialist (A+ and Linux+ exams)
The Professional level offers trainees three different paths:
- CompTIA Cloud Admin Professional (Network+ and Cloud+ exams)
- CompTIA Network Infrastructure Professional (Network+ and Server+ exams)
- CompTIA Linux Network Professional (Network+ and Linux+ exams)
Cybersecurity Pathway
Specialist level:
- CompTIA Secure Infrastructure Specialist (A+, Network+, and Security+ exams)
Professional level:
- CompTIA Security Analytics Professional (Security+ and CySA+ exams)
- CompTIA Secure Cloud Professional (Security+ and Cloud+ exams)
- CompTIA Network Vulnerability Assessment Professional (Security+ and PenTest+ exams)
- CompTIA Network Security Professional (Security+, PenTest+, and CySA+ exams)
Expert level:
- CompTIA Security Analytics Expert (Security+, CySA+, and CASP+ exams)
- CompTIA Security Infrastructure Expert (Security+, CySA+, PenTest+, and CASP+ exams)
Conclusion
No matter where you are in your IT career, it is essential to keep upgrading your skills and technical knowledge. The tech industry is continually evolving, and IT professionals cannot afford to lag behind.
CompTIA is a non-profit organization that offers a wide range of industry-recognized certifications. There is a training course for everyone: beginners and advanced professionals alike, cyber analysts and network security specialists, software developers, system administrators, and more. Validated CompTIA certifications will not only help you expand your knowledge base, but they will also look impressive on your resume. Your employer will like to see a dedicated employee who works hard to become a certified professional in their field.
If you have any questions about CompTIA certification training, please contact us at MyComputerCareer. We would be happy to help you pass a CompTIA certification exam that meets your needs!