Discover how CompTIA's rebranded Tech Plus certification is revolutionizing IT education! Join me, Professor J Rod, as I reflect on my journey of earning a doctorate and how this new, more accessible certification is a game-changer for career changers and newcomers to the IT field. We'll explore who stands to benefit the most from Tech Plus, from professionals needing a broad understanding of IT to those looking to boost their job performance with enhanced tech skills. This episode offers valuable insights into the significant implications of this certification rebranding on career progression and IT education.
Ready to tackle one of the hottest debates in career development? We'll dissect the ongoing discussion about the value of certifications versus degrees in the job market. Drawing from my background in psychology, I even propose a mixed-method study to compare the career trajectories and earnings between degree holders and those with certifications alone. Plus, learn how advanced degrees, like a master's, can elevate your career prospects and earnings, especially in IT. We'll wrap up by emphasizing personal responsibility and dedication in exam preparation, and I'll share heartfelt thanks to our production team and listeners. Tune in for an episode packed with practical advice and encouragement to achieve your professional goals!
Discover how CompTIA's rebranded Tech Plus certification is revolutionizing IT education! Join me, Professor J Rod, as I reflect on my journey of earning a doctorate and how this new, more accessible certification is a game-changer for career changers and newcomers to the IT field. We'll explore who stands to benefit the most from Tech Plus, from professionals needing a broad understanding of IT to those looking to boost their job performance with enhanced tech skills. This episode offers valuable insights into the significant implications of this certification rebranding on career progression and IT education.
Ready to tackle one of the hottest debates in career development? We'll dissect the ongoing discussion about the value of certifications versus degrees in the job market. Drawing from my background in psychology, I even propose a mixed-method study to compare the career trajectories and earnings between degree holders and those with certifications alone. Plus, learn how advanced degrees, like a master's, can elevate your career prospects and earnings, especially in IT. We'll wrap up by emphasizing personal responsibility and dedication in exam preparation, and I'll share heartfelt thanks to our production team and listeners. Tune in for an episode packed with practical advice and encouragement to achieve your professional goals!
If you want to help me with my research please e-mail me. Professorjrod@gmail.com
If you want to join my question/answer zoom class e-mail me at Professorjrod@gmail.com
Art By Sarah/Desmond Music by Joakim Karud Little chacha Productions
Juan Rodriguez can be reached at TikTok @ProfessorJrod ProfessorJRod@gmail.com @Prof_JRod Instagram ProfessorJRod
Speaker 1:
And welcome to technology tap. I'm Professor J Rod. In this episode we're going to talk about CompTIA Tech+. Let's get into it. All right, welcome guys, welcome, welcome, welcome. First episode back from a while.
Speaker 1:
If you listened to the previous episode, you know what I was doing. I got my doctorate. That's what I've been working on the last couple of months. That's why you haven't heard any of technology tap. But I miss you guys, you know, and I'm back. But you know I had to take care of my business, right, you know, and I had to give up something in order to finish that journey. But I it. So, uh, you know, email me. I told you guys in the last episode, email me if you want me to change my name to dr jrod from professor jrod. I kind of like professor jrod, but you can email me, professor jrod, that's jrod at gmailcom. Let me know if you want me to change it.
Speaker 1:
All right, so so while we were away, comptia announced that they are changing their fundamentals ITF fundamentals exam to Tech Plus. I actually like the name of it. I think the name kind of fits rather than I. You know, I get it IT fundamentals, but I kind of like the tech one because this is the first one. Right, tech is going to be my first exam, but I'm looking at it. I'm actually looking at the guide, the certification guide from CompTIA, and it's a little different from what I expected.
Speaker 1:
One, if anybody ever took the fundamentals one, I mean, that was not an easy test. The latest version of ITF was not. It was not. So many people complained that they felt like it was harder than A+. Right, you know, tell me that I'm wrong. Right, tell me that I'm wrong. But I think most people felt that that exam was really hard. I think it had a lot to do, that it had a lot of programming in it and, you know, most people are not programmers, but they had a lot of questions. It was super weird, you know, because I taught it. Uh, the new exam and I, you know, I, I I had the older one, the one before that one, and you know that cert never expires, so I didn't take the new one. But, you know, when I worked in Lincoln Tech, there were people that were coming out of that exam room full of sweat saying, man, I barely passed. You know, and sometimes you know some of these places, you know they want you to have the updated cert and if you don't have it, you're gonna get another job, right? So there was a lot of guys coming out there out of that exam, sweating, you know, thinking like man. I didn't, you know, I almost didn't pass. But let's take a look at the.
Speaker 1:
The tech plus, so formerly known as compTIA ITF, is a universally recognized certification that demonstrates an individual's understanding of the vast landscape of technology and the ability to navigate and leverage tech tools and platforms efficiently. What I think they did here in Tech Plus, that they did differently, right? So they say who benefits from Tech Plus? And this is where it gets interesting right, students and career changers considering a career in technology, which I think it's a good one to start with. Right, if you are, I don't know. If you were a student, I don't agree. But if you're changing careers, yeah, you should know the fundamentals. Right, you should take fundamentals, because I think A+, a+ it does a good job. But if you have never done anything with a computer, I think A plus is a little hard for people. To be honest, right now let me know if I'm wrong, but I honestly think you know if you in computers, if you're already in the industry, right, if you are, you know, like me, I was a tech for a long time and then I decided to do A+. So a lot of the terminology that was going on and all the stuff even though the stuff was new because I wasn't exposed to everything in technology, right, like A-plus kind of, does you know security, networking, that you know, and it goes really in depth into it? I wasn't really you know, and it goes really in depth into it. I wasn't really you know, that wasn't me. But if you don't, if you don't know of something, it's hard. But if you don't know anything, it's even harder, in my opinion. Right.
Speaker 1:
So I think, if you are a career changer, so I think if you are a career changer, you should go and take a tech plus class. I, you know, I don't think it's, it's you know, if you are, you know putting down floors for living, which you know you make money. You know putting floors Right, and then you have no experience in IT, right, you have no experience in IT, right, and then your brother-in-law is an IT guy and he tells you hey, you know, go take Tech Plus. That's the one you should get first, right, because it will really teach you the fundamentals of PC, which is what you need to grasp before you move on. Now, if you're a college student, right, and you like taking courses already, it's probably not for you, but for career changes it's definitely, definitely. It says professionals working in fields that require a broad understanding of IT.
Speaker 1:
Okay, marketing, sales and operations staff who want to improve job performance, enhance technology skills and rely less on IT. That's a you know what. That I find it's a good marketing skill Market to people who, you know, maybe like want to know a little bit more about computers. But, right, you know, it'd be a good like an idea. So, like, if you have marketing, we have like 20 people marketing maybe send one person to take that tech plus course, right, and then, like, they could be like the you know the, the, the one that everybody in marketing goes to right, say, hey, I'm having a problem before it goes to tech right, right, you know, then that person could be like kind of like a triage person, right. He says, oh, you know what, I think you're going to need to open up a ticket for this one, but maybe they can fix it on their own, right. I think that would be a good place where they can market it. And then you know, you might be able to do it to salespeople who are selling computer parts that maybe are not as technical, but because you know they don't, they're salespeople, right? You know, if you're a salesperson you can sell anything, but you want to be a little bit more technical, a little bit more knowledge about the product that you're selling. You may want to take this course, a Tech Plus course, and get your Tech Plus certification. Hey, who knows, you might like it, right? And then, you know, migrate over to Tech. You know a lot of people are doing that. So you know I've always preached Tech is a good field. If you want to make money, it's one of the best fields that you can do. Let's see CompTIA.
Speaker 1:
Techplus serves as an essential entry point for those beginning their journey into the exciting world of technology. It provides a comprehensive overview of fundamental concepts and practical skills paving the way for fulfilling a venture into technology. Techplus is a vendor-neutral, internationally targeted technological certification ensuring that individuals possess the essential knowledge to engage with and understand technology across different environments. It focuses on establishing a solid base in computing security, data and application software. Techplus combines theoretical knowledge with practical exercise, simulating real-life tech scenarios. This approach enhances critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, preparing learners to address a variety of tech-related issues confidently. And then what's new in this version? Techplus includes in-depth exploration of virtualization and cloud technologies, which is new right, such as hypervisors, guest operating systems and cloud service model, reflecting the industry's move towards cloud computing. Right, that's what we're moving towards now, or we've been moving and the need for this new technology understanding Acknowledge the growing importance of digital literacy.
Speaker 1:
Right. Tech Plus covers essential digital skills and online collaboration tools, preparing individuals for both personal and professional digital interactions, addressing the vital importance of security in digital interconnected world. Yeah, this would probably emphasize, you know, if you kind of like salespeople or people you know that have one guy marketing how important security is and they can like emphasize that cascade around the company Cause, again, people are still not taking security seriously and in the series of hacking over the summer you'll see uh. Tech plus covers uh vital aspects like safe browsing practice, understanding certificates and privacy considerations crucial for the safe use of digital tools and online platform. Tech Plus divides into database fundamentals, emphasizing data value, database structure, basic backup concepts and highlighting the importance of data management and analysis in IT.
Speaker 1:
Additional topics on emerging technologies include the Internet of Things, vr and AR systems, offering insights into the future of technology and the societal impacts. A significant addition of tech is the inclusion of AI concepts such as AI chat box, ai assistants, ai generated code and content, and understanding the increasing relevance of AI Sounds okay. Right, it's going to be tech plus zero, seven, one Right. Of course, they're going to have cert master Right, which you know. A lot of my students have used cert master and they like it. I mean it's expensive though, but they a lot of students like it. You know I give them hats off. I'm curious to see what's going to happen when they when that merger with TestOut is complete and how they're going to do it. Potential level one positions If you get certified with TechPlus IT support specialist, help desk technician, computer technician, data entry technician and technical sales associates.
Speaker 1:
What is covered in the exam this is the most important part 14% are IT concept and terminology. Basics of computing, including processing, output and storage. Understanding the notational system, such as binary, hexadecimal, decimal and octal. Comparing and contrasting common unit measures like storage unit bit by kilobyte, throughput units uh kilobytes, uh megabytes and processing speed megabytes and giga megahertz and gigahertz. That's 14 of the exam 22 is infrastructure overview of common computing devices and their purpose, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and more explanation of common internal computing components like motherboards, cpus and gpus. Comparison of storage types, volatile versus non-volatile, local versus cloud installations and configuration of common peripheral devices and understanding different types of input and output interfaces. Virtualization and cloud technologies, including hypervisor and cloud service models. And basic network concept and capabilities of small wireless networks. That's 22%. It leads me to believe that they're going to have a massive change in A-plus by reading this when the new A-plus exam comes out.
Speaker 1:
Applications and software 18%. Components of operating system and its purpose. The purpose and proper use of software, including productivity, collaboration and web browsing software. Configuration and use of web browser features. Common use of artificial intelligence and software. That's applications of software, which is 18%.
Speaker 1:
Next is software development concepts 14%. Comprise of programming languages, categories, interpreted versus compiled, fundamental data types and their characteristics. Purpose and use of programming concepts like identifiers, arrays, functions and objects, and then programming organizational techniques and logical concepts. Five is data and database fundamentals that's 14%. The value of data and information in decision-making. Database concept, purpose and structure, structure versus non-structure, relational versus non-relational databases, and then basic data backup concepts and the importance of data persistence and availability. And then number six 18%, is security Fundamental security concept and frameworks, confidentiality, integrity and availability, methods to secure devices and security best practice, password best practice and common use case for encryption, which is good to know. You know, for the, you know the lower people at the lower end of the IT scale, right, really the users right, and configuring settings for small wireless networks. So it looks like, yeah, I think there's going to be massive changes to the A+. That's what I'm thinking. So I mean, you know, I don't know, we'll see. They have some stuff on. Nearly all IT managers recognize the values certificate professionals bring into organizations, such as boosting productivity, helping to meet client requirements and closing the organizational gaps. Yeah, that's going to be one of my next goals, guys. In closing the organizational gaps, yeah, that's going to be one of my next goals, guys.
Speaker 1:
I want to do a research on what the employers look for. Do they look for certification or they look for degree? My opinion is Is it depends Right, most of them will take you. My opinion is if you are, if they just want you to do one specific job, they'll take the cert Right, but if they want you to do multiple jobs, they'll. They'll take the degree. Multiple jobs, they'll take the degree. And the problem with the cert is the cert will make you stay at the job longer. This is a psychological approach, right, and I'm a psychology major, that's my undergrad. It would make you stay there longer than probably you should, where if you had the degree, you would probably stay in a place for a year and then quit and get the experience and quit. And if you look at some of these onboard messaging stuff, message boards, you see that a lot of people, especially with degrees, they do that. They find a job, they'll suck it up for a year and then they quit and then they get another job paying more money, so, um, because now they have the experience. So, um, you know, that's that's my opinion.
Speaker 1:
But I want to do like a survey. Uh, you know, you know a really good study. I did kind of one informal a couple of years back, but I kind of want to do one like really in-depth, you know, and you know, interview some people, maybe like a mixed method, surveys and interviews and see what people think. But I'm leaning that way, that's like that. Plus, I think, as good as it might be, the certification will not get you in most cases. Most cases it's going to be hard for you to move up. Not every time, uh, every time, not every time, but I think in most cases.
Speaker 1:
You know, if you have two people and they both have, you know one of them has a degree and the other one just has certs and they're both equally the same right as far as work and all that, they're going to take the guy with the degree. I'm sorry, they will take the guy. Most companies will take the guy with the degree. Yes, even though that guy might be really good, I think at the end of the day the employers still value the degree. So for people who say, oh, the degree means nothing, I kind of disagree. You know, I kind of disagree. I think it's important. You know, they pull far. They pull far.
Speaker 1:
Not saying that you cannot get a job with a cert. No, absolutely you can. But I'm just saying the. You know, let's see somebody who has a degree, or we could do a study of somebody who has only the degree and somebody who only has a cert and let's say, like, let's see the last 10 years how much they made each one of them made. I'm pretty sure it's going to be the guy with the degree who's made more.
Speaker 1:
That's what I mean about how important the degree is, right, yes, you could still make good money not having a a degree, but I think you can make more money with the degree and you could move up. You know management wise, if-wise, you know they're going to want. You know they're going to want and let's be realistic you know you could be there. If you apply for a job as a manager of, you know, mis manager, right, and then somebody else has a master's degree in information management, right, who do you think they're going to take? And you both have the same experience, the same amount of experience who do you think they're going to take? They're going to take, they're going to take the master's degree guy.
Speaker 1:
So, but you know, again, that doesn't mean that you cannot get a job in IT without a cert. That does not mean that at all. I'm not trying to say that you can get a degree. You can, you really can, but the degree helps you enormously, enormously.
Speaker 1:
So, and again, I kind of want to do a study on that. That's one of my goals I don't know when, but that's one of my goals is to do a long, you know on that, because I think I think that's something that that you know, I think something that you guys actually will be interested in in in, uh, uh, you know, finally, put it to bed, right, what's more important cert or degree? And I think it's going to be degree and it and I think a lot of you are going to be a little bit disappointed when, when they say it's it's the degree um, you know the degree is going to be a little bit disappointed. When they say it's the degree, the degree is going to help you. The degree does not hurt you, neither does the cert, but the degree does not hurt you at all. It actually helps you more than anything. Now people are going to say, oh, but you got to borrow money, blah, blah. Yeah, but I'm of the belief that you make more, especially the higher you go right, and I'm saying that you should go for a doctorate because don't go crazy.
Speaker 1:
But I think the master's degree, if you're going to work in IT, is what you should reach for, because a master's degree will change your whole trajectory and give you confidence and you'll start making more money. You know, once you find your niche Right, my niche is what? Teaching, comptia Right, that's my niche. I've I've been doing for like seven years. People call me Schools, call me all the time hey, can you do a bootcamp? Hey, can you do a bootcamp? I've gotten hundreds of people to pass their CompTIA certifications Right, so that's my niche. Well, once you discover your niche and you have a master's degree, you're going to make a lot more money than you're making if you just had a cert. I guarantee you that just goes without saying. That will happen.
Speaker 1:
But I know there's a lot of people there who say, well, I know so-and-so who makes $130,000. He doesn't have a degree. Yeah, you're going to find those. You're going to find those. Yeah, but those are rare. Those are rare.
Speaker 1:
Is you know, without it's, it's you know you could find somebody working as a? Uh changing the tracks, right, for mta new york, new york city transit, right, who? Who? Uh, you know the guy there changing the track track supervisor. He probably makes you know six figures and he probably doesn't have a college degree on cert, right, what he has is longevity, right, he's probably been there a while. You ask him how long he's been there. You know, I'm sure he, you know it's going to be at least 10 years that he's been there. But you could make more quickly right going in there and it all depends on where you work and stuff.
Speaker 1:
You know, let's not, let's not go too crazy. They're not going to pay you. You know 160 000 coming out coming out of college. But yeah, maybe you get, possibly you can get half of that, you know, coming out of college, uh, and you know it's very difficult for a company to give that to somebody who just, oh, I have my Security Plus, pay me $80,000. No, they're not doing that. So that's why I get upset by people who recommend people, by people who recommend people for Security Plus as the first CompTIA, right?
Speaker 1:
No, tech Plus, especially somebody who's never done IT, put them in Tech Plus. Don't make them go to Security Plus because they're going to hate it, they're not going to understand it. There's an expectation that you know stuff, right. So tech plus came out. If you have your brother-in-law or your cousin who wants to get into computers, tell him to take tech plus. That shirt never expires and at least he who gets some knowledge of it and then he goes. You might not get a job with it, honestly. You might not get a job with it, honestly, you might not get a job with Tech Plus, but that would you know. If he gets it, then I'll leave him confident to take the A plus.
Speaker 1:
So, again, it's all up to you. You know you have to put in what you want, right? You know it's up to you. I can do only so much. You have to be able to do stuff on your own like study and and being and actually taking the exam. So, but I have faith in you. So, all right, that's going to put a ball on this episode. All right, that's going to put a ball on this episode. Thank you all for listening to my tech plus, not tech talk, right, and we'll see you on the other side. This has been a presentation of little cha-cha productions art by Sarah and music by Joe Kim. If you want to email me, you can at ProfessorJRod, that's J-R-O-D at gmailcom.