CompTIA Blog

In Wallace Wakefield’s line of work, it’s almost redundant to say that security is of the utmost importance. Nevertheless, Wakefield, who works in IT management for the U.S. Department of Defense, remains vigilant about ways to upgrade his knowledge and skill set in this vital sector. He thinks he’s found the latest key ingredient. As an early beta tester for the new CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner  (CASP) certification, Wakefield recounts the profound benefits. “Any time you can va ...

Life certainly doesn’t stand still, and neither does the IT world. Ten years ago, who would have thought that Apple products would be found in more than half the households in the U.S. or that mobility devices would be crucial business tools? Change is inevitable, but the technology we employ in our personal and corporate lives seems to be advancing at greater speeds each and every year. Some of those advancements have come about so quickly that they have become commoditized almost overn ...

Takeaway of the week is we actually can survive a batch of seven days touching on the current IT job market without invoking the topics of cloud computing and big data. Some critical news this week discusses how Indian outsourcing efforts are helping U.S. workforce activity and the lack of IT skills could be the tipping point for spiraling youth unemployment in Europe. Study: Indian IT Outsourcing Helps Boost U.S. Workforce Outsourcing by Indian firms in the U.S. is helping to boost the employm ...

During the 2011 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference we hosted a panel discussion on mergers and acquisitions (M&A). The session included me and three Microsoft partners with experience managing what has often been described as one of the most unnatural acts in business.It was a lively discussion about the role of M&A in building a vibrant IT services company and we touched on some of the pitfalls in consummating a successful deal. I thought the topic was so important that this would b ...

In a remarkable show of bi-partisanship, the House passed the Senate-amended version of H.R. 3606 “Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act” by the wide margin of 380-41.  This legislation included six existing bills, four of which had passed the House already, and which have been supported by CompTIA as a means of infusing capital into small businesses.  The Senate amended the initial House version by adopting an amendment offered by Sen. Merkley, which was passed by a vote of 64-36.  This am ...

A look at the week of March 26 in public advocacy for the IT channel:  This week, the Senate passed the House’s JOBS Act, making it easier for small companies to raise capital.  Budget cuts are hindering the government’s ability to hire the best cyber employees.  NPR examines the risks that a cyberattack would have on U.S. critical infrastructure and the best regulatory course of action.Budget Cuts Put Cybersecurity at Risk — Budget limitations are harming the government’s ability to compete wit ...

An IT career was something Derrick Graham pursued for years, completing online-college level IT classes while enlisted in the Navy and working as an aircraft mechanic.  But it wasn’t until he completed CompTIA certifications required by Department of Defense Directive 8570 at a New Horizons Learning Center in Durham, N.C., that Graham won his first IT job. “I didn’t get my first break until after obtaining Security+, which met one of the DoD Directives,” says Graham, now a help desk ...

Derrick Graham pursued an IT career for years, completing online college level IT classes while enlisted in the Navy and working as an aircraft mechanic. But it wasn't until he completed CompTIA certifications he won his first IT job.

Lewis Shoulders is still in his teens, yet he’s already a respected IT network technician in the United Kingdom, flying round the world, working on luxury yachts, rubbing shoulders with celebrities.By age 18, he had earned his CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Network+ certifications, using the UK training company Zenos to train for Network+ and set up job interviews before landing a job with Livewire Connections. The Surrey, England-based provider of maritime IT networks and entertainment systems uses mob ...

Lewis Shoulders is still in his teens, yet he's already a respected IT network technician in the United Kingdom, flying round the world, working on luxury yachts, rubbing shoulders with celebrities. By age 18, he had earned his CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Network+ certifications, using the UK training company Zenos to train for CompTIA Network+ and set up job interviews before landing a job with Livewire Connections. The Surrey, England-based provider of maritime IT networks and entertainment systems ...

Small tech companies have gained a significant victory that will streamline and lessen the costs of obtaining equity capital.  Yesterday, the Senate approved the JOBS Act by a vote of 76-23, following its overwhelming passage by the House of Representatives just last week.  However, before passage, the Senate did tack on an amendment (by a vote of 64-35) that would provide more investor protections for crowdfunding while increasing the individual investment limitations: Individuals earning $40,0 ...

When was the last time a client asked you to implement a unified communications (UC) solution? Chances are, it doesn’t happen often, but that doesn’t mean convergence isn’t in demand. Often times, business owners and managers know the goals they want to accomplish, but don’t know the platform to get there. If their objectives focus on improving customer service levels, creating greater sales team efficiencies or enabling remote workers with more access, unified communications should be part of t ...

Takeaway of the week is a bright future for the right job seeker in locales as diverse as Seattle and Asia. Cloud computing, big data and - who knew? - software sales are the dominant themes in the rumbling IT job market. The upshot? Stay current, become business savvy and that bright future could be yours. Coffee, Rain and Tech Is Seattle the new Silicon Valley? While the job market continues to percolate in the titan of tech regions, several factors are leading many to point to the emerald c ...

The House Small Business Committee passed a series of small business contracting bills this morning, all by voice vote.  This legislation now will go to the full House of Representatives for action.  CompTIA supports this legislation, as well as six other contracting bills passed by the Committee on March 7, and will call on the full House to act on this legislation quickly.  Here is a brief summary: HR 3985- “Building Better Business Partnerships Act of 2012” – This bill would authorize the SBA ...

A look at the week of March 19 in public advocacy for the IT channel:  This week, the Senate is reviewing the House’s JOBS bill which aims to increase means of raising capital for businesses.  The Office of Management and Budget has released a report that federal cyberattacks have decreased in the past year.  The Huffington Post examines the current landscape of cybersecurity legislation and the possible future outcomes.Senate Debates Small-Business Bill — The Senate has taken up the House’s JOB ...