IT pre-apprenticeship programs should embed preparation for earning industry-recognized credentials into the curriculum, including supports such as test delivery.
Because many IT job candidates earn multiple industry-recognized credentials, certification costs add up and should be covered by the pre-apprenticeship program whenever possible.
High-quality pre-apprenticeship programs should not only prepare participants to earn industry-recognized credentials, but should also include supports to facilitate obtaining the credential itself.
Pre-apprenticeship programs should support instructor training and certification to help ensure that instructors have mastered relevant content and are able to deliver it effectively to training participants. In some cases, an instructor must be certified by a validating agency. For example, CompTIA A+ instructors have to be CompTIA A+ certified in order to teach the course. In these cases, high-quality pre-apprenticeships should provide supports to instructors for such certification.
Pre-apprenticeship programs are also particularly helpful to participants when they defray the costs associated with examinations, which can be significant. The cost of obtaining industry-recognized credentials can surpass $1,000 when multiple credentials are required, or candidates don’t pass an examination on the first try. As a baseline credential, CompTIA A+ certification costs $340 ($170 for each exam). Other common credentials range from $260 for Linux+ to $339 for CompTIA Security+, to as high as $700 for the CISSP. Educational vouchers and discounted rates for many of these certifications are available to training providers. Pre-apprenticeships should contact vendors directly to explore their options.