CompTIA IT Fundamentals: Newest IT Certification for Non-IT Professionals

CompTIA has recently launched a new certification. If you work in IT, most likely it’s not for you. This credential is rather for your non-IT colleagues and friends who have to call you every time their computer contracts a virus, when their operating system starts acting up and so on – we all know these people. We all know somebody who has zero of this seemingly basic computer knowledge, don’t we?

There’s no shame being one of these people if you do not work in IT industry. But as pretty much any job these days requires at least basic level of computer literacy, CompTIA has developed a formal credential to validate these basic skills.

Meet IT Fundamentals, the newest credential in CompTIA’s certification lineup. This credential replaces Strata IT Fundamental certification which will be phased out in summer 2015.

CompTIA IT Fundamentals certification targets non-IT professionals who cannot escape the need for basic IT skills. It goes without saying that since most industries, like marketing, sales, customer service, management and others tend to rely on software, CRM, and other computer-based tools, these professionals need computer-based skills. For professionals in marketing, communications, and other recession-hit industries where job competition is especially tough, having such credential might be the unique selling point on their resume, something to set them apart from other applicants. CompTIA specifically mentions the following professions:

• Sales associates
• Sales engineers
• Account managers
• Business development managers
• Product and marketing specialists
• Customer support personnel

IT Fundamentals is as basic as it gets for an IT certification. It is a step below the entry level CompTIA A+ credential which was developed for entry level IT professionals, mainly service desk staff. CompTIA IT Fundamentals covers the following aspects:

• Identifying and explaining computer components.
• Setting up a workstation, including conducting software installations.
• Establishing network connectivity.
• Identifying compatibility issues and identifying and preventing security risks.
• Managing the safety and preventative maintenance of computers.

CompTIA IT Fundamentals credential does not have any prerequisites, although candidates should allow sufficient time for learning all information and topics outlined in exam blueprint. The exam itself (already available worldwide), FC0-U51, lasts 1 hour and consists of 75 multiple choice questions.

So is this certification right for you? Or, if you are an experienced IT professional, who do you recommend this credential to?

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