The exam associated with this course has been retired. If you'd like to prepare for the newest version of the exam, please watch our CompTIA A+ (220-1101) course.
In this foundational CompTIA A+ training, Keith Barker, Jeremy Cioara, Jeff Kish, and Jacob Moran prepare learners to take the Core 220-1001 exam, which is one of two exams required to earn the CompTIA A+ certification.
In any career field, it’s a good idea to start with the basics before moving onto specialized areas of study. For the aspiring IT professional, you can’t do better than to prepare for and take the CompTIA A+ exam for learning the fundamentals. Many IT help desks require it, and it can certainly look good on a resume.
After completing this CompTIA training, you'll be prepped for the Core 220-1001 and be better prepared to either get your first IT job or advance into junior systems administrator or senior support roles.
For anyone who leads a technology team, this A+ training can be used for A+ 220-1001 exam prep, on-boarding new IT professionals, or as part of an entry-level training plan.
Core 220-1001: What You Need to Know
This CompTIA A+ training moves through the Core 220-1001 exam objectives, and covers topics including:
- Laptop display: LCD lighting and screen types, LED, OLED, components, touchscreens, digitizers
- Troubleshooting concepts: identifying the problem, searching for causes, testing the theory, establishing a plan of action, assessing results
- Layer 2 Switching: concepts, MAC addresses, VLANS, trunking, protocols
- Virtualization: hypervisors, virtual machines (VM), client-side software, securing VMs
- Network cabling: types and attributes: standards, pins and shielding
- Computer CPUs: vendors and selection, processors, graphics processing units (GPUs), processor speed
- Practical Computer Troubleshooting: RAM, CPU, power, hard drive, video, display, mobile devices
- Layer 3 routing: default vs. static routes, dynamic routing protocols, RIP, OSPF,
- Network troubleshooting: resource allocation, connectivity, addressing, IP address conflicts, wireless issues
- TCP/IP protocol: concepts, protocol stack, protocol analyzer
- Survey of technologies: cloud computing, VR and AR, printers, device management, and much more
Who Should Take Core 220-1001 Training?
This A+ training is considered foundational-level CompTIA training, which means it was designed for technical support specialists with 6 to 12 months of experience, but can be used by professionals with no experience at all. This Core 220-1001 course is valuable for new or aspiring IT professionals, experienced technical support specialists looking to validate foundational skills, and even non-technical professionals.
New or aspiring IT professionals. There is a broad consensus among IT experts that CompTIA A+ training is an excellent way to begin a career in information technology. It broadly covers the basics, and gives the aspiring IT specialist an introduction into the concepts and technologies they’ll be dealing with for the rest of their professional life. If there’s any exam you should get first, it’s A+. Even if you don’t want to get certified, anyone new to IT will greatly benefit from CompTIA A+ training.
Experienced IT professionals. Many IT specialists have developed their profession based on the knowledge gained in particular platforms or technologies required for their job. But even after five years, it’s possible to have gaps in IT knowledge and skills that could hinder their careers. Going back for CompTIA A+ training is a good choice for engineers who need to round out their knowledge and refresh their understanding of the hardware and software that they support.
Desktop hardware user training. People who work with technology products and services, whether in management, sales, or customer support, can benefit from a general understanding of information technology. CompTIA A+ training provides a survey of technical terms and solutions that would be helpful for those in tech-related businesses. This CompTIA A+ training offers a greater understanding of what might otherwise seem like a mystery.