IT Courses

Where to start in IT

If you’re new to the field, start broad and vendor-neutral. CompTIA A+ is the classic first step — it proves you understand hardware, software and troubleshooting, and it’s the certification most IT support adverts ask for. From there, Network+ and Security+ round out the fundamentals every other IT role builds on. If you’d rather keep your options open while you decide on a direction, the IT Certification Training Bundle gives you a year across all of it.

Vendor-neutral or vendor-specific?

It’s worth understanding the difference. CompTIA and CIW are vendor-neutral — they teach concepts that apply anywhere, which makes them a sensible foundation. Cisco, Microsoft and AWS are vendor-specific: they go deep on one platform, and they’re the right choice once you know which technology the employers you’re targeting actually use. Many people do both — a neutral foundation first, then a vendor certification for the job they want.

Pick a direction

IT splits into a few broad routes, and your certifications should follow the one you’re aiming for:

• Support and fundamentals — CompTIA (A+, then Network+)
• Networking — Cisco CCNA and CCNP
• Cloud — AWS or Microsoft Azure
• Cyber security — Security+, CySA+ and PenTest+, then on to ISACA or ISC2 for senior roles
• Web — CIW for JavaScript, HTML5 and UI design

Are the exams included?

It’s a fair question to ask up front. Our courses cover the training and full exam preparation — not the exam itself. The official vendor exams (CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, ISACA and the rest) are sat separately with the vendor, usually through Pearson VUE, with the fee paid directly to them. CompTIA and Microsoft courses give you the option to add the exam at checkout if you’d like to bundle it. Keeping the exam separate means you only pay the vendor’s fee when you’re ready to sit.

Careers and progression

IT rewards stacking certifications as you specialise. A common path is IT support (CompTIA A+) into a specialism — networking, cloud or security — and then on to senior or architect-level credentials. Each certification is a checkpoint employers recognise, so you can move into better-paid roles step by step rather than waiting for one big qualification.