After you have passed the A+ Essentials exam, you must pass one of the three available elective exams to complete your A+ certification. These exams are numbered 220–602, 220–603, and 220–604 and are for getting your IT Technician, Remote Support Technician and Depot Technician credentials, respectively. As noted earlier in this book, the A+ certification is an entry-level certification for those individuals who wish to pursue their careers in computer hardware support. The elective A+ exams let you choose the right role in the computer support industry where you intend to work or want to demonstrate your skills. Unlike the A+ Essentials exam, the elective exams are designed to test your skills beyond basic identification, installation, upgrade, and troubleshooting of personal computer hardware. The areas of study for these exams depend on the track you choose to complete your certification. The following tracks are available:
- IT Technician
The IT Technician Exam 220–602 is meant for those individuals who work or intend to work in a corporate or mobile environment, which has a high level of face-to-face client interaction. Job titles for these skills may include Enterprise Technician, IT Administrator, Field Service Technician, or PC Technician. According to CompTIA, this certification may also be useful for some nontechnical positions such as students, sales personnel, and small business office managers.
- Remote Support Technician
The Remote Technician Exam 220–603 is meant for those individuals who work or intend to work in a remote-based hardware support environment where client interaction, client training, operating systems, and connectivity issues are important. Job titles for these skills may include Remote Support Technician, Helpdesk Technician, or Call Center Technician.
- Depot Technician
The Depot Technician Exam 220–604 is meant for those individuals who work or intend to work in environments where client interaction is limited, but the main emphasis is on computer hardware repairs. Job titles for these skills may include Depot Technician or Bench Technician.
The A+ exams have recently been revised to include newer areas of study such as computer security, safety and environmental issues, and communications and professionalism. Another new area is knowledge of laptops and portable devices. In each of the study areas, you are expected to be skilled in identifying individual computer components as well as in installing, upgrading, and configuring them. You must also have hands-on knowledge of using appropriate tools to diagnose problems, perform preventive maintenance, and optimize performance.
The approximate percentage of each section in Exams 220–602, 220–603, and 220–604 is shown in Table 4-1.
Table 4-1. A+ exam domains and percentage of coverage
Domain | 220–602 | 220–603 | 220–604 |
|---|---|---|---|
Personal computer components | 18 percent | 15 percent | 45 percent |
Laptops and mobile devices | 9 percent | Not covered | 20 percent |
Operating systems | 20 percent | 29 percent | Not covered |
Printers and scanners | 14 percent | 10 percent | 20 percent |
Networks | 11 percent | 11 percent | Not covered |
Security | 8 percent | 15 percent | 5 percent |
Safety and environmental issues | 5 percent | Not covered | 10 percent |
Communication and professionalism | 15 percent | 20 percent | Not covered |
CompTIA recommends that in order to be prepared for the A+ exams, you should have approximately 500 hours of actual hands-on experience with computer hardware either in the field or in a lab. It is a good idea to have studied an A+ certification self-paced study guide or attended a training course before you attempt to write any of the A+ exams. You will then be ready to use this section of the book as your final exam preparation.
Tip
This section of the book covers all three A+ elective exams: 220–602, 220–603, and 220–604. It is highly recommended that you pass the A+ Essentials exam before attempting the elective exam of your choice. Although it is not a requirement, some experts suggest writing both of the A+ exams on the same day because some of the study areas overlap. Interestingly, Exam 220–602 covers most of the skills required for other exams. The last two sections "Safety and Environmental Issues" and "Communication and Professionalism" are covered in Chapter 2 in the A+ Essentials Study Guide. Refer to Chapter 2 for revision of these topics.
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