CompTIA has unveiled an ambitious 2024 product vision that extends the depth and breadth of learning options for students and career professionals to help them improve their career-readiness. The Chicago-area and Utah-based IT certification company plans to extend its product line of learning and certifications to serve a greater number students and career professionals.
In 2024 CompTIA will introduce multiple new products, with the first coming to market in Q1 2024. Five existing CompTIA certifications will be refreshed with significant updates to both exam objectives and learning programs.
“Our mandate is clear,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO, CompTIA. “Equipping workers to thrive in an ever-demanding future world of work means building depth and breadth of skills through competency-based learning and agile pathways.”
The new products span four categories:
CompTIA Essentials
- AI Essentials
- Business Essentials
- Soft Skills Essentials
CompTIA a+ Series (little a+)
- a+ Linux
- a+ Coding
- a+ Data
CompTIA Pro Series
- AWS Practitioner Pro
- Full Stack Pro
- AutoCode Pro
CompTIA Xpert Series
- DataX
CompTIA’s product development plans encompass two threads:
First, digital fluency is a universal need in almost every profession. Some level of understanding is required to be conversant, especially with technology at the core of most business operations.
Second, technology solutions do not work in a vacuum but are dependent on each other to operate effectively. The same is true for technology skills. A specialist in cloud computing, cybersecurity or data analytics must understand how different elements complement each other to achieve a desired outcome.
Each CompTIA product category corresponds to a learner’s progression in attaining tech skills and competencies.
CompTIA Essentials boost technological competence across a range of job roles, both tech-specific positions and in adjacent occupations that rely on technology. Learning modules in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, office productivity software, business acumen and financial literacy can be mixed and matched with employment essentials, such as communication, collaboration and critical thinking, to achieve digital fluency.
CompTIA a+ Series (little a+) expands access to tech careers and encourages more people to explore employment options through a modular collection of technical learning and certificate programs. This approach creates more efficient pathways to tech careers while still providing the support a student needs to pursue an entry-level tech job role training. Two programs, a+ Cyber and a+ Network, are currently available through Coursera.
CompTIA Pro Series offers hands-on learning with vendor tools and technologies that are required as tech careers progress. These programs differ from CompTIA Plus (+) certifications programs in two significant ways. They are centered on the learning experience, not on a CompTIA certification, and some are aligned with third-party, product or vendor certification programs.
CompTIA Xpert Series is a set of expert-level certification exams with related learning products and training curricula. Individual exams are not necessarily vendor-neutral and represent a “step up” from existing CompTIA certification programs in data, cybersecurity and IT infrastructure. Planned for launch in 2024 is the new DataX certification and learning program aimed at data scientists. Aligning with this new vision, the current CompTIA CASP+ certification will be updated and rebranded as SecurityX this year.
Refreshes within the CompTIA Plus (+) Series include 2024 updates to Network+, Cloud+ and PenTest+. In addition, IT Fundamentals (ITF+) will be updated and rebranded as CompTIA Tech+.
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is the world’s leading information technology (IT) certification and training body. In December 2022, CompTIA acquired TestOut Corporation, a 20+ year old ed tech company based in Pleasant Grove, Utah. Its Utah employees work out of Kiln Lehi.
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