Online IT Training: What Are Your Options?

Now more than ever, online training has become essential for gaining IT skills. eLearning resources help you learn anywhere and at any time. You can use it to learn new skills or to prepare for IT certifications, making your downtime more productive. If you’re a parent, eLearning shows your kids firsthand the value of lifelong learning. Whether you need to ramp up your skills for your current job or learn something new for your next move, this convenient training mode enables you to learn whenever and wherever is best for you.

Online IT Training for All Learning Types

People learn in different ways – some prefer self-study with online tools and books while others thrive in instructor-led training that mimics a traditional classroom. And many people can benefit from both. No matter how you learn best, both ways are effective and are conveniently available online.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the difference between self-study eLearning and live online training:

• Self-study eLearning: Most eLearning resources – whether eBooks, videos or an eLearning platform – are self-paced and on demand, which means you can log on at any time and do the work at your own pace. This does require motivation and discipline to hold yourself accountable, but it means you can work learning into your own schedule.
• Live Online Training: For those who crave structure, engagement and answers to your questions in real time, formal instructor-led training might be a better option. With live online training, you attend virtual classes at a set time and complete assignments on schedule, just as you would for an in-person class. The difference is you can log on from anywhere with an internet connection.

Whether you choose guided self-study, like an eLearning platform, or live online training, you’ll get knowledge checks and immediate feedback so you retain what you’ve learned.

5 Reasons to Love eLearning

eLearning is easy to love because it enables you to learn from anywhere, engage with training content, practice what you’ve learned, combine new learning with prior knowledge and test with confidence.

1. Learn from anywhere. If you aren’t able to get to a class or one isn’t offered near you, eLearning lets you learn from anywhere with an internet connection. And you can decide if you want to work on your own schedule or attend a virtual class.
2. Engage with training content. There’s nothing more frustrating than zoning out while you’re supposed to be learning. Online learning takes the boredom out of IT training by integrating games, simulations, quizzes and multiple types of media into learning content.
3. Practice what you've learned. One of the most powerful ways to retain knowledge is to practice what you’ve learned. eLearning gives you the chance to pause and replay a lesson over and over and take perfectly timed quizzes to ensure you retain the information long term.
4. Test with confidence. No matter how much you know, going into a testing situation with low confidence can sabotage your success. eLearning tools build your confidence by giving you plenty of opportunities to practice what you’ve learned and get a sense of what testing feels like.
5. Combine new learning with prior knowledge. If you already have some knowledge on the topic you’re studying, you may want to prioritize your studies based on what you don’t yet know versus what you do. Some eLearning platforms are designed to build upon your existing knowledge to help you learn new skills.

eLearning and Online IT Training from CompTIA

There are a number of eLearning options out there in a range of price points. Official CompTIA eLearning solutions are flexible and interactive and align with CompTIA certification exam objectives, which are based on real-world IT job roles, ensuring that you’re learning the skills you need for your career. Whether you want to enhance your existing skills, learn new ones or prepare for IT certifications, CompTIA has a solution for you.

CompTIA CertMaster

CompTIA CertMaster is a suite of online IT training products that includes eLearning, labs for hands-on practice and exam prep.

• CompTIA CertMaster Learn is great if you’re just starting to learn about a topic. This comprehensive, interactive and self-paced eLearning environment is packed with activities and features designed to help you learn and retain content in an engaging way. The customizable learning plan allows you to learn in a way that is most efficient for you.
• CompTIA Labs is great if you already have some knowledge on a topic. It helps you practice solving real-world problems in a browser-based environment of live servers hosted in a data center. With extensive side-by-side lab guides and pre-configured exercises, we made learning easy, yet thorough.
• Integrated CertMaster Learn + Labs is available for many CompTIA certifications in bundles. This allows you to work in one platform to learn the information and then practice the hands-on skills with activities on real virtual machines and software. All bundles include an exam voucher and a free exam retake, just in case.
• CertMaster Practice is great if you want to build upon the hands-on skills you already have. It reinforces your knowledge – moving quickly through what you know and focusing on what you don’t with personalized feedback – to efficiently prepare for CompTIA certification exams.

To see which CertMaster products are available for your certification, head over to the CompTIA Store or Amazon.

Don’t want to commit just yet? We offer a trial version of the CompTIA CertMaster Learn + Labs for various courses.

CompTIA Live Online Training

CompTIA now offers live online training for CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, CompTIA CySA+ and will soon be available for CompTIA Data+. This includes instructor-led training, vouchers with free retakes and all three CompTIA CertMaster products. Classes are taught by CompTIA-certified instructors and students can ask questions in the moment and participate in discussions through two-way communication, just like in a traditional classroom. Learn more about CompTIA live online training and see what sessions are coming up.

The CompTIA Tech Career Academy also offers online classes. The IT-Ready Technical Support program is for adults with little to no IT experience and focuses on the skills covered by CompTIA A+. Students also learn professional skills like communication and problem solving, receive a voucher for the CompTIA A+ exam, and can access career services to help them land a job once they finish the program.

Official CompTIA Study Guides

Official CompTIA Study Guides – in eBook and print form – are available for most CompTIA certifications. Whether you are preparing for an IT certification or simply want to build your knowledge on the topic, CompTIA Official Study Guides are a great resource for learning job-related IT skills. All study guides are available in the CompTIA Store, and some are also available on Amazon. You can even download free eBook samples from our website to try before you buy.

How to Get into IT with Online Training

Online IT training is not just for existing IT pros. You can train online – either self-study or in a class – to prepare for your first IT job. Two of CompTIA certifications are designed to give you a head start on your IT career:

• CompTIA IT Fundamentals (ITF+)can help you see if a career in IT is right for you. It covers many areas of IT, creating a broader understanding, making it ideal for those who haven’t worked in IT. Use CompTIA CertMaster Learn, CompTIA CertMaster Labs or the Official CompTIA Study Guide to learn the fundamentals of IT. 
• CompTIA A+is the industry standard IT certification for technical support. If you have some IT knowledge but need a credential to get your foot in the door as a technical support specialist, help desk technician or similar job, CompTIA A+ may be for you. Learn the skills needed for entry-level IT jobs with CompTIA CertMaster Learn, CompTIA Labs, the Official CompTIA Study Guide, CompTIA Live Online Training for CompTIA A+ or the CompTIA Tech Career Academy. Check out our bundles for CompTIA A+ to save money on multiple products.

Get Started with Online IT Training

Online IT training lets you continue learning to advance your career from anywhere – not just a traditional classroom. People who want to get into IT or IT pros who want to reach the next level of their career can benefit from online training, either in self-study or instructor-led modes. CompTIA offers a variety of online IT training options to support you every step of the way.

Ready to start studying? Writing out your plan will set you up for success. Download our free training plan worksheet to help get organized and make your dream a reality.