Certification for IT newbie?

SkeeM

Hi everyone!
A little about myself, I am currently active duty military and have a job that is not relevant to IT. I do plan to pursue a IT degree once I separate in the near future. One of the good things about being in the military is that they really push education/self improvement. The military will also pay for one certification, up to a certain amount, and I want to take advantage of this offer. I have a very basic understanding of computers, but willing to put in plenty of study time. Can you guys recommend me any certifications at my skill level?

Also, I also plan to become a certified personal trainer(CPT). The cost of the exam is almost $600, and with that in mind the military only pays for ONE certification. If the cost of the IT certification exam is slightly lower than the CPT exam, I will consider it.

Thanks in advance for any replies

Master Of Puppets

I think the CompTIA - A+ and N+ would be great in your case. They are going to help you get a sense of the field and, hopefully, spark your interest in some area. They also help for getting your foot in the door with some help desk/tech support kind of job. These certs are usually the way for people who are just starting out.

redline5th

I would say start with CompTIA and see what you're most interested in. Network+, A+, and Security+ are all pretty well standard these days. I believe CompTIA exams run around $200-300.

extriquek

The CompTIA certs.