Changes to the A+ Certification
Looks as if CompTIA is going to be making some changes to the A+ certification. I can only see this as a good thing, even though this is just a minor certification.
The first notable change is that there are now four exams instead of two. One of the four, called CompTIA A+ Essentials, is required and there is no way to become certified without it. In addition to it, candidates must pass another exam — an elective — but this time there are three to choose from and they are named after their exam numbers: 220-602, 220-603, and 220-604. The first exam, 220-602, is really a mirror of the Essentials exam with the same topic categories (called domains) and just a few deviations here and there. The other two exams (220-603 and 220-604) resemble subsets of the 220-602 exam.
It is good to see that CompTIA finally added multiple electives. This should help to create a more diverse skill set for those with the certification, rather than essentially forcing individuals to learn Microsoft products in order to pass the exams. Overall, this is a smart move.