CompTIA brand materials

Plantwiz

http://www.comptia.org/certification/a/voucher.aspx

Computing Technology Industry Association and Thomson Course Technology Launch CompTIA Press



ATLANTA – June 8, 2005 – The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) today launched CompTIA Press, a comprehensive line of courseware and related products aimed at information technology (IT) professionals studying for CompTIA certification exams. The announcement was made here at CompTIA Strategies 2005 North America, the association’s annual conference for the technology training industry.



CompTIA is collaborating with Thomson Course Technology, the worldwide leader in computing education, to deliver the first of many titles under the CompTIA Press brand name. Thomson, which offers more than 1,600 print and technology-based products for business and technology training, is the first publishing company to team with CompTIA to deliver CompTIA Press textbooks, study guides and other materials related to the association’s certifications for IT professionals.



“Thomson Course Technology has extensive experience in courseware development and a strong reputation for quality,” said William Vanderbilt, CompTIA’s vice president for education and training. “By engaging publishers such as Thomson more actively in the certification development process, we can improve the availability of quality training materials for CompTIA certification candidates.”



“Working with CompTIA to launch CompTIA Press is a terrific opportunity to bring together leaders in the certification industry,” said Mike Springer, Thomson Course Technology’s vice president and general manager for training. “Our certification training content is rated the highest in the industry, and is a natural fit for CompTIA certification candidates.”



The publishing agreement between CompTIA and Thomson will focus initially on materials related to CompTIA certifications. The first titles published under the CompTIA Press brand name are expected to be available in the next 60-90 days and will focus on three CompTIA certifications: CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ and CompTIA Security+. Initially, the titles will be available only in English and in North American markets.



Future titles may include materials related to other CompTIA certifications as well as topics to help association members run their businesses more efficiently and profitably, Vanderbilt said. The parties will also examine opportunities for bundling courseware and certification exams, he added.



CompTIA Authorized Quality Curriculum will continue to be available from third parties, offering certification candidates additional resources for curricula, products, and services that map to CompTIA certifications.



About CompTIA

CompTIA (www.comptia.org) is a global trade association representing the business interests of the IT industry. For more than 23 years, CompTIA has provided research, networking, and partnering opportunities to its 20,000 members in 102 countries. The association is involved in developing standards and best practices, and influencing the political, economic, and educational arenas that impact IT worldwide.

About The Thomson Corporation and Thomson Course Technology
The Thomson Corporation (www.thomson.com), with 2004 revenues from continuing operations of $8.10 billion, is a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. With operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn., Thomson has approximately 38,000 employees and provides services in approximately 130 countries. Its learning businesses and brands serve the needs of individuals, learning institutions, corporations and government agencies with products and services for both traditional and distributed learning. As part of the Thomson Corporation, Thomson Course Technology (www.course.com) is the worldwide leader in computing education, offering more than 1,600 print and innovative technology-based products for business and technology training.


Contacts:
Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
(630) 678 8468

sostrowski@comptia.org



Doreen Maciak

Thomson Course Technology

(617) 757-8324

Doreen.Maciak@thomson.com

RussS

Uh Oh

2lazybutsmart

CompTIA press? If those rumors about the questions on CompTIA exams are true, then perhaps they should consider hiring 'alot' of editors who can put together decent literature, or render whatever material they come up with 'understandable'.

I like MS Press books because they are straight forward and move from one explanation to another. You don't get lost half way through the page.

I 'love' Lammel's style of writing because he constantly puts life into your reading. It's like he's actually talking to you. Sometimes he even cuts a nice joke and you start laughing all alone with your 'lab' and people start thinking you must've finally gotten that softening of the brain they were expecting.

Anyways, I'm sure we'll all see for ourselves how good they're books are once they start getting printed.

2lbs.

Webmaster

I've been expecting and waiting for this actually. I think it can be good step. I think it will either:
- expose some of the CompTIA exams for what they really are (let's say 'inaccurate'), or (and as an indirect result of the former)
- force CompTIA to improve the quality of their exams (writing an exam that people are not allowed to disclose is one thing, writing and publishing accurate study material is something else, they have to be more careful now and ensure the study material is accurate, meaning that they can't imply that SSL uses only symmetric encryption and NICs operate on layer 1 'or' 2 )

I guess I'm at least a week too late, but I see a job opp. Me not being very positive about the quality of their exams may not sound good, but I have 'technical' reasons for it, which imo are unacceptable. (I'm not saying the certifications have no value or anything, I'm referring to the exam questions). The only options to really proof this is to discuss the actual questions (not an actual option) or be allowed by CompTIA to technically edit their exams (and now study material).

Ricka182

RussS wrote:

Uh Oh

Yup.

2lazybutsmart

They're definetly valuable certs in their capacity but it's just that 'many' people think CompTIA does one hell of a job using equivocal wording on their exams. And that confuses many test takers.

Plantwiz

2lazybutsmart wrote:

..... And that confuses many test takers.

Everything in life cannot be a 'gimmie'

The tests are not pass only when you achieve a perfect score. They are fair enough for what they measure. Could the material be written better? Sure, but I've never viewed a CompTIA cert equal to a college degree, merely a industry measure of time in the trade.