At the beginning of the year, CompTIA announced that people with the A+, Network+ and Security+ certifications would have to renew their certifications every three years to keep their credentials valid. Previously, there had been no renewal required and each of those three certifications remained valid forever. The new requirements were similar to those for other popular industry certifications including the Cisco CCNA. Under the new requirements, everyone who held an A+, Network+ or Security+ would have to recertify or lose their certification.
Then, about a week later, CompTIA adjusted the new requirements. In a press release titled “CompTIA Certification Renewal Policy Clarified,” CompTIA announced that current A+, Network+ and Security+ certification holders (as well anyone who earns those certifications in 2010) would not be required to renew their certifications. According to the release “All individuals currently certified in CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ and/or CompTIA Security+ will retain their “certified for life” status with no requirement to recertify or retest. Individuals who become certified in CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ or CompTIA Security+ by December 31, 2010 also will be considered certified for life.”
So now the only candidates that will be required to renew their certifications are those who get certified after January 1, 2011. Those people will need to follow one of the recertification methods every three years to keep their certification up-to-date. These new rules will make it tougher to stay certified, but should improve the value and credibility of the certifications. With the new criteria, these certifications now carry ISO 17024 accreditation. And with a recertification requirement, employers are ensured that people with the A+, Network+ and Security+ have the most recent skills.
The most straight forward way to recertify is to pass your certification exam again. But that’s not the only way. CompTIA is giving you the option to perform activities that earn you Continuing Education Units (CEUs) you may use toward recertification. To renew the A+, one must earn 20 CEUs. For the Network+ it’s 30 CEUs and for Security+ it’s 50 CEUs. Some of the CEU-eligible activities include:
* Teaching, lecturing or presenting industry content relevant to the highest level CompTIA Certification.
* Attendance at relevant industry events, seminars or conferences.
* Full participation in CompTIA exam development workshops.
* Publishing a relevant industry article, white paper, blog or book.
For more information about CompTIA certification, check out the official CompTIA website or give our career counselors a call at 1-800-418-6789.
Tags: A+, Certification, CompTIA, Network+, Security+