CompTIA and Google's Grow with Google initiative are teaming up to address growing employer demand for tech support specialists.
The two organizations announced Sept. 19 that they are offering a co-skilled badge of completion to individuals who successfully complete the Google IT Support Professional Certificate program and earn their CompTIA A+ certification. The dual credentialed badge can be posted on LinkedIn and used in job searches to catch the eye of potential employers.
"There are immediate employment opportunities and long-term career growth options in the tech support field for anyone with the right mix of technical and business skills," said Kelly Ricker, executive vice president for events and education at CompTIA. "The good news is that these skills are teachable; and there's no better option to learn them than through the credentialing programs offered by Google and CompTIA."
"We're excited to offer learners the chance to receive a dual credential for completing the Google IT Support Professional Certificate and CompTIA's new A+ exams," said Natalie Van Kleef Conley, Google Product Lead. "We believe that Google's hands-on program, combined with CompTIA's A+ exam, will give learners a clear path to advancing their skills and displaying their capabilities to employers."
The Google IT Support Certificate program aligns with the objectives covered by the CompTIA A+ exam, introducing learners to the fundamentals of IT support that are critical for success in the workplace, including troubleshooting, customer service, networking, operating systems, system administration and security.
Updated earlier this year, the CompTIA A+ exam focuses on the critical skills that IT professionals need to support and secure today's end points, from traditional and mobile platforms to cloud-enabled IoT devices, as well as new and emerging technologies that are changing the way businesses operate.
CompTIA A+ also stands out from other credentials through its use of performance-based exam items. Test-takers must demonstrate the ability to perform critical IT support tasks in complex IT environments, from security operations to cloud and network administration to platform support. IT professionals who become CompTIA A+ certified are prepared to be contributing team members from day one.
That level of readiness is critical for employers. Professional credentials in the IT field can give job seekers a distinct advantage, whether they're looking for their first job or a promotion from their employer.
A June 2019 white paper produced by IDC and commissioned by CompTIA examined the impact of certifications and training at different points during a tech professional's career. For example, technology professionals who are certified before their first position are 50 percent more likely to get a promotion within one year of hiring than a "never certified" worker. The whitepaper also concluded that CompTIA-certified tech professionals consistently outperform non-certified workers in most security-related and network administration activities.
