Just want to vent... :( (New renewal rules)

Ugh... I've been in school for what seems like forever trying to get my Bachelor's in Information Engineering Technology... I have ONE class left this semester before I graduate, and I feel like I haven't learned anything besides basic programming (C, C+, Java), and know I don't wanna be a programmer. But onto why I'm here...

I was planning to take my A+ Certification in the Fall of 2010. I started studying in October, while taking 4 classes and working full-time (Not computer-related), and then I lost my job, and long story-short, I don't get unemployment pay. For this and many other reasons, I had to stop studying for the A+ and focus on getting my life straightened out; the exams will always be there for me to take, I thought.

Tonight, I was ready to start studying again and take my A+ certification in the next month or two since my life is on a better track. While looking for what is the best study material, I found out that the A+ is no longer a lifetime certificate and must be renewed every 3 years for it to hold.

My heart dropped. I just cannot believe this... I can't believe I could have had the opportunity to have a lifetime certificate, and now it's gone... Knowing that people who could have taken it 16 years ago and don't have to ever take it again, that they can just put on their job application, or even better yet, their own PC repair company "A+ Certified" makes me incredibly upset that I will have to keep retaking it every 3 years or take the education course...

I'm so frustrated and infuriated, that I've decided I'm not even going to bother with it. Thank you CompTIA for making my life all that much harder...

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SteveO86

I really would not worry about it too much. Many Certs expire, or become pretty irrelevant after so many years.

Plus after you work in the field enough it'll be like a second language to you and A+ material will be pretty mundane.

docrice

If you need the knowledge that studying for the A+ provides, then get it anyway. After a few years into your career, an entry-level cert like that won't matter as much unless you intend to do PC-repair work for years and years. In the longer-term, certifications like the CCNA, etc,. will hold their value much better. Plus, \you have to renew those as well (although depending on the certification series / path in question you can take exams on more advanced (related) topics which are a step-up from the original to renew it).

Personally, I was never big on "lifetime" certs since the technology changes so frequently. I know some people who have had their A+ since the '90s. They don't do work that the A+ implies, so it really doesn't matter to them. Plus, they technically tested on a much older version of the exam so from a potential employer's eyes those aren't completely valid for current technology anyway.

ibcritn

A+ really didn't do much for me...mine doesn't expire, but I don't think ill list it on my resume soon....as you'll get to a point where you just don't need it.

Daniel333

After you have three years experience you wouldn't be listing A+ on your resume anyway. By then you'll have your CCNP/MCITP:Enterprise Admins and misc other high profile certs. A+ is only needed where your job requires it or you are trying to break into a entry level spot.

biker_dude

It's not that bad. Really you don't have to retest every 3 years. With the (CE) Continuing Education option. You could re-qual with a few classes and seminars.

I passed in December and me being DOD (Department of Defense) I still have to enroll in CE as a requirement of DOD.

Psoasman

Don't sweat it. Many certs expire, Cisco for example. Its a way to keep current with the new technology. 3 years is a long time. As Daniel said, you will probably have higher-level certs by then.

Plantwiz

Mirth wrote: »

Ugh... I've been in school for what seems like forever trying to get my Bachelor's in Information Engineering Technology... I have ONE class left this semester before I graduate, and I feel like I haven't learned anything besides basic programming (C, C+, Java), and know I don't wanna be a programmer. But onto why I'm here...

I was planning to take my A+ Certification in the Fall of 2010. I started studying in October, while taking 4 classes and working full-time (Not computer-related), and then I lost my job, and long story-short, I don't get unemployment pay. For this and many other reasons, I had to stop studying for the A+ and focus on getting my life straightened out; the exams will always be there for me to take, I thought.

Tonight, I was ready to start studying again and take my A+ certification in the next month or two since my life is on a better track. While looking for what is the best study material, I found out that the A+ is no longer a lifetime certificate and must be renewed every 3 years for it to hold.

My heart dropped. I just cannot believe this... I can't believe I could have had the opportunity to have a lifetime certificate, and now it's gone... Knowing that people who could have taken it 16 years ago and don't have to ever take it again, that they can just put on their job application, or even better yet, their own PC repair company "A+ Certified" makes me incredibly upset that I will have to keep retaking it every 3 years or take the education course...

I'm so frustrated and infuriated, that I've decided I'm not even going to bother with it. Thank you CompTIA for making my life all that much harder...

Welcome to the boards!

For starters, CompTIA announced with adequate notice that A+, NET+, and Sec+ will all be renewal every three years beginning with 2011. AND THAT happened after much outcry from their 'fans' because initially that wasn't the way they were going to handle it.

Second, if your 'whole' career will be summed up by A+ (which it will likely not be limited to this cert) than does it matter if you need to renew this one and only cert on your record? You may not see it today, but the answer is "NO".

If you continue through the various cert paths available and continue to take higher level certs like most people do, than again, A+ 'expiring' on you in 3 years is not a problem either....because...'who'll care?' And I'm not looking to pick on you, but the point I'm trying to make in this short space is that if you think the entry-level A+ cert will make or break your career once you have achieved a few years in the industry along with the other knowledge you'll have gained by that time...you are likely worrying for nothing.

IF the cert is that important for you, simply renew each time and keep it current as you will need to do with ALL the other more important certs you will likely be carrying. Due to career choices, you may indeed be required to keep it current with your employer...but if that is true...so will anyone with 'lifetime' certs too because their employer will probably want maintain a certain level of knowledge...and at that point...the employer may be paying for the exam.

Read through the forums and look at others comments. If you cannot find the converstation immediately, try the search feature, this has been discussed at length. This one is not a deal breaker, sorry.

shaX 07

I wouldn't worry too much about this if I were you. As others have said, with the CE program, you won't have to re-test every 3 years, or put tons of work into getting A+ renewed, it only requires 10 CE's to renew.

Aside from that, even though many of us have our A+, Net+ and Sec+ as lifetime certs, doesn't mean we still shouldn't get them renewed. I mean, if I am going to apply for a job 10 years from now, and I put that I achieved those 3 certs 10 years ago, is that really going to help me win the job? Most likely not, because the technology and everything will be 100% different by than, making my lifetime cert status irrelevant, unless I renew.

If I were you, i'd skip over Comp TIA certs and focus on something significant- Cisco, Microsoft, whatever your IT aspirations are, work to achieve a high level cert in that area. CompTIA certs are decent for getting into the field, but it won't help you get a higher level job if you're already in IT, I found this out first hand.

Bellman80

I was under impression that if I hold all 3 A+, Net+ and Security+, then I'd only need to take Security+ every 3 years and that would renew the other 2?

shaX 07

Bellman80 wrote: »

I was under impression that if I hold all 3 A+, Net+ and Security+, then I'd only need to take Security+ every 3 years and that would renew the other 2?

Yes you are correct. If you hold all 3 of them, than you simply need to renew Security+ to renew all 3. Security+ unfortunately requires 50 CE Credits, so it would probably be easier and quicker to just re-test Security+ instead of doing the CE's, but it's up to the individual person to decide that for themselves.

If it were me, i'd just re-test and not waste 50 hours of my time on the CE's, since the test isn't all that hard.

Bellman80

Thanks for confirming it, shaX 07. Paying a couple hundred bucks every 3 years to keep all 3 of them current doesn't seem like that much of a big deal to me, that is if I'll even care to keep them current at that point.

ehnde

What if you wanted to get a new CompTIA cert instead of retaking Security+? If you already had A+/N+/Security+ could you take Server+ or Linux+ to refresh all 3?

Plantwiz

ehnde wrote: »

What if you wanted to get a new CompTIA cert instead of retaking Security+? If you already had A+/N+/Security+ could you take Server+ or Linux+ to refresh all 3?

No.

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Paperlantern

Plantwiz wrote: »

No.

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BUT, the taking of the cert, and any training you MAY do along with it, may qualify for CEUs.

fss

Odds are by the time it comes to retesting your employer will pay for it anyways.