Just received my A+ CE...

After more than a decade of being A+ certified, I received an A+ CE certificate and card. Now, apparently my A+ is set to expire. I thought the old ones were grandfathered in, or did they change their mind on that one?

It has the same date I earned my Security+ cert, which was the CE version. Did passing that change my A+ to CE as well? I received my Sec+ cert a few weeks after I passed. This A+ certificate came 10 months later (yesterday). WOW!

I have really passed the usefulness of the cert, so it's not really that huge of a deal, but it goes against what was told and what I had done in the past. I had 6 years experience when I took the A+ exam and passed it with no problems (as well as several Microsoft exams), and now I have nearly 17 years experience in the industry. So, an A+ certification won't make or break an employment prospect, unless the A+ is required (which is a few jobs that I do on contract work). Now that it is going to expire, I'm worried... I'm not going to retake the A+, Net+ or Sec+. Project+ is my final CompTIA exam, and I'm glad it's not CE.

Grrrrrrrr. Frustrating why they do things the way they do... Anyone else have a similar issue? Any old A+ holders that had the same thing happen?

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echo465

What certifications does it list on your summary page? Mine has my A+ from 1998, my A+ CE from a few months ago, and my Security+ from a few months ago. In the 'expires' column, the 1998 A+ still says 'n/a'.

https://www.certmetrics.com/comptia/candidate/cert_summary.aspx

PC509

Ah, I see. It says it doesn't expire. So, according to that, I don't have to renew the A+ if I don't want to, correct? I'm still good for life?

Thanks. At least I'm a bit relieved!

TeKniques

Hi,

As someone who just got back on the certification scene I too researched this a bit. From what I understand by talking to CompTIA is you enroll in the CE program and complete the requirements and then you get the CE designation after the cert to show that 'you are up to date'. It appears this only matters for anyone certified on or before 12/31/10. I'm assuming that means that any CompTIA exam completed after that date is not a 'forever' cert via the CE program. Maybe someone else knows for sure.

whatthehell

TeKniques wrote: »

Hi,

As someone who just got back on the certification scene I too researched this a bit. From what I understand by talking to CompTIA is you enroll in the CE program and complete the requirements and then you get the CE designation after the cert to show that 'you are up to date'. It appears this only matters for anyone certified on or before 12/31/10. I'm assuming that means that any CompTIA exam completed after that date is not a 'forever' cert via the CE program. Maybe someone else knows for sure.

I believe this is correct -- don't worry about having to retake the test, unless you want the CE designation, which it doesn't seem you need now.

Darril

Just to add a little, the only certifications that are CE certifications are A+, Network+, Security+, and the newer security certification CASP. Other CompTIA certifications like Server+, HTI+, and so on are still lifetime certs. At least for now.

Darril Gibson
Security+ blog
Security+ Tip Of Day

PC509

Darril wrote: »

Just to add a little, the only certifications that are CE certifications are A+, Network+, Security+, and the newer security certification CASP. Other CompTIA certifications like Server+, HTI+, and so on are still lifetime certs. At least for now.

The three most popular exams (and the new one) are the CE now... I'm glad they are the entry level certs, though, as you can use them to get a job, then experience carries you the rest of the way.

I am curious as to how employers look at expired or retired certifications. Do they still take them into account? Say I was a CCNA in 2002. Didn't retake the exam. Would an employer look as if you weren't certified at all, or what? (Edit: Bad example. Cisco changes enough to require recert. Better example: Windows 2000 certification).

Darril

PC509 wrote: »

I am curious as to how employers look at expired or retired certifications. Do they still take them into account? Say I was a CCNA in 2002. Didn't retake the exam. Would an employer look as if you weren't certified at all, or what? (Edit: Bad example. Cisco changes enough to require recert. Better example: Windows 2000 certification).

In my experience, hiring managers do take older certifications into account. For example, I know of a contract that required administrators to have an MCSE in Windows 2003. However, people with MCSEs from Windows 2000 and some experience in 2003 were hired, but with the requirement that they needed to upgrade their certification within a year.

On the other hand, an expired A+ certification with no other signs of technical growth may not be viewed favorably. Hiring managers often measure technical growth by looking at a progression of certifications (such as A+, Network+, Security+, and then into a specialty), or by a progression of more advanced technical jobs.

Darril Gibson
Security+ blog
Security+ Tip Of Day