Who Needs CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ Certification?

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What is CompTIA IT Fundamentals+?

CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ is a certification designed to help aspiring IT professionals decide if a career in IT is right for them. It helps develop a broader understanding of IT, and is the only single certification that encompasses all areas of IT foundations. This makes it the ideal certification for not only those looking to move into a career in IT, but also professionals in non-technical careers who want to gain a broader understanding of IT subjects.

Successful completion of the IT Fundamentals+ exam certifies that a candidate has a basic knowledge of IT concepts and terminology, infrastructure, applications and software, software development, database fundamentals, and security.  The IT Fundamentals+ certification is good for life, so it never needs to be renewed.

Value of CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ Certification

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), there is a significant skills gap between what is needed for most IT roles, and the skills that IT professionals have. It is estimated that this gap could negatively impact the performance of 90% of all organizations by 2020.

In order to close this skills gap, certifications are immensely useful for employees to build knowledge and practical skills to be used in the workplace. Organizations can find value in the IT Fundamentals+ certification by sponsoring employee exams. Encouraging employees to train and successfully complete this exam could not only increase job performance, but possibly mitigate common security risks by giving employees a baseline understanding of security fundamentals and best practices.

Taking test

For aspiring IT professionals, building a solid knowledge foundation before moving onto more advanced IT skills is crucial. This is where the true value of IT Fundamentals+ certification lies for most potential IT professionals, as ITF+ excels at building a foundational knowledge base and often serves as a starting point for moving onto more advanced certifications. The exam covers software, hardware, security, networking, and basic IT literacy. Many aspiring professionals move on to other certifications in the CompTIA network that provide more in-depth coverage of these topics, such as A+, Network+ for network administrators, or Security+ for security practitioners. Check out this full guide to getting certified in IT

Professionals in non-technical fields find value in the IT Fundamentals+ certification as well. A study conducted in 2017 by Burning Glass Technologies found that 82% of middle-skill jobs require digital skills. Of all middle-skill jobs, the ones that require digital skills pay more. Tech skills can also serve as a pathway to obtaining high-skill jobs. IT Fundamentals+ can help professionals in non-technical fields build their digital skills, to work toward these mid-level and high-level positions. Professionals can also find value in the IT Fundamentals+ certification when the skills that the exam covers can be applied in their current role. For example, professionals who work in sales or marketing at a tech company could benefit from the applicable IT knowledge that IT Fundamentals+ provides.

As this exam provides practical knowledge that can be applied in any setting where a computer is regularly in use, non-professionals can find value in IT Fundamentals+ certification too. For example, this knowledge could be applied in a home setting to help users optimize their personal computers and networks.

How to Start Studying for CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ Certification

Studying for the CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ certification exam might seem daunting at first, because of the breadth of topics the exam covers. In general, it’s best to choose training that breaks up the topics into smaller, more manageable sections. However, there is not one training solution that will work best for every person, as learning styles vary widely from person to person.

When choosing exam prep, some options do have advantages over others. For example, for many people it is more effective and entertaining to learn from an actual instructor who has many years of hands-on experience in the field. However, most people do not have the time or financial resources available to go to a class in-person to prepare for the IT Fundamentals+ exam. This is where eLearning comes into play, as engaging online courses that are led by experienced instructors can combine the best aspects of eLearning and Instructor-Led training.

Online training for this certification offers many benefits. It is more flexible, as it allows busy students and professionals to work at their own pace. Exam prep can be fit in between work hours, classes, or whenever else there is a bit of free time. The flexibility of online learning also means that extra time can be spent on the topics each individual finds most difficult, and move faster on topics they are already comfortable with. This makes training more efficient and effective. Additionally, it is crucial to have the option to review previous lessons as needed to prepare for the exam, which is something that classroom learning does not offer.

Engaging online IT training led by experienced instructors provides all of the benefits of classroom training, along with the flexibility and customization of online IT training. One great tool to use to find training like this is YouTube, where there are some free courses for ITF+ exam prep. For example, ITProTV just launched a free training course on YouTube for IT Fundamentals+, that is a great way to immediately begin building foundational IT knowledge and preparing for the exam. After successful completion of the IT Fundamentals+ exam, ITProTV also offers comprehensive training to prepare for other more advanced CompTIA certifications.

Start training today for the CompTIA IT Fundamentals+ exam!