You’ve been in the cell phone industry for some time now. And you feel you’ve exhausted the options to evolve within that industry. You want to move into a different vertical like computer repair. But you’re not sure if your existing POS software can be used as a computer repair shop software as well.
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So, you stumble upon an employee who knows a little bit about computer repair so you think, here’s my opportunity to enter the computer repair market. For you, getting your employee a certification makes the most sense before you open your doors to computer repair.
A computer technician’s certification will take you a long way, not only in terms of brushing up your employee’s computer repair skills but also, to get more business.
From an employee’s perspective, getting a computer technician certification will increase their wage and open several other opportunities within the computer repair industry.
Moreover, technicians with such certifications are better equipped to intake repair devices and reduce the margin of error.
So, the question now is, how many computer technician’s certifications are available out there, and which ones are largely accepted?
Education
Before we get into specific courses, let’s see what kind of education your employees must have before joining such programs.
A lot of technicians working at repair shops just start working right after they graduate out of high school and learn their way into becoming a technician. During their time, they learn all the basics, including using a computer repair shop software.
A few, however, go on to take computer science or IT-related courses. But whether you’re looking to take up a course or a degree in the computer science realm, it is important to craft a convincing personal statement among other prerequisites. Luckily, those who need help with personal statement writing or wish to buy personal statement material can do so via many online writing resources.
For a repair shop in particular, it is more useful if the employees get certifications because they are much shorter than degrees and more cost-effective as well. Besides, in order to repair computers, a certification builds more trust than perhaps a degree.
So, here are a few recommended certificates.
CompTIA A+
CompTIA A+ is an entry-level exam. It thoroughly covers skills considered necessary to become a hardware technician. This benchmark standard of the certification includes all the major skills needed for the construction, maintenance, and troubleshooting of computers.
The certificate includes multiple skills, including using and connecting computer hardware, installing OS, troubleshooting mobile and computer devices, and industry best practices.
This certificate is a prerequisite for Intel, HP and Dell technicians. The United States Department of Defense also recognizes it. This means that if you want to get a contract with the military, you would be certified to do so.
You can also get a school district contract owing to the certification.
In order to apply for the exams, you need 9-12 months of prior experience in the industry. There are a total of two tests, at $232 each. The exams are also available in multiple languages and are recognized world over.
Ideally, renew the certification every 3 years. This will help the employees whet their skills and learn ways to tackle the latest technology and hardware that are changing at a very fast pace.
CompTIA Network+
The CompTIA Network+ certification is ideal if you are training a computer technician. However, you can only take this exam after you have passed CompTIA A+.
Also, for this exam, you need to have experience of 9-12 months in networking services. The certificate only requires one exam that costs $338 and should ideally be renewed every 3 years.
This certificate is a test of your knowledge and implementation of networking concepts. It teaches how to handle security and secure the network against common attacks.
This level of certification is pretty much a must for computer technicians who work in the computer repair industry.
HP and Intel recognize this certification. Other companies that recognize this certification include Lenovo, Canon, Verizon, and Intel. So, if you are leveraging a carrier store, this certificate can come in handy.
Apple Certified Macintosh Technician (ACMT)
The Apple certification is necessary for Apple authorized shops. The downside is that this certification is only available internally for Apple technicians, Apple authorized shops, and organizations that have self servicing accounts.
This course teaches the ins and outs of repairing Apple computing products, including iMacs and Macbooks. A combination of the ACMT and CompTIA A+, however, makes for a technician who can just about fix anything.
There are multiple opportunities for newcomers in the computer repair industry. So, investing in a team and getting them certified makes a lot of sense. It will open up new streams of income that you couldn’t offer before and help you grow your business. A good computer repair shop software will also add to the efficiency of your employees.
Have we missed a certification that you got and it proved to be very fruitful? Help out other repair shops and share it in the comments.
