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What Certifications Have You Added Alongside CompTIA?

Jill West
I've added a few AWS certs, a PMI cert, and a couple of Microsoft/Azure certs. I'm not as diligent about renewing those, though. I choose certs based on my interests and/or based on upcoming projects or classes I'm about to teach.

It's interesting to compare CompTIA exams and objectives to exams and objectives from other companies. CompTIA does a pretty good job of giving sufficient detail in their objectives so you know what you need to know on the exam. Vendor-specific certs, especially AWS, often do a good job providing free training materials or good documentation on their services, making it easier to find in one place what I need to study. But it's also a little annoying that the vendor certs are (understandably) focused on how to use their products rather than understanding the underlying concepts.
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What Certifications Have You Added Alongside CompTIA?

Mark Anthony Germanos
Gregory Childers said:
I'm curious how other instructors have built their certification portfolios over the years.

CompTIA has always had a vendor-neutral philosophy, and I think that's one of its greatest strengths. It teaches concepts and skills that apply across technologies instead of focusing on a single vendor.

But many of us also teach courses or work with clients who use specific technologies. That got me wondering how everyone balances CompTIA with other certifications. Besides your CompTIA certifications, what other certifications do you currently hold? Are you pursuing anything new?

How do vendor certifications like Microsoft, AWS, Google Cloud, Cisco, Fortinet, Palo Alto Networks, or CrowdStrike fit into your portfolio? What about vendor-neutral certifications like ISC2 or ISACA? Or more specialized certifications from organizations like OffSec or GIAC?

When you're deciding what certification to earn next, what drives that decision? Customer demand? Personal interest? Better career opportunities? Something else?

I'm not looking for a right or wrong answer. I'm just interested in hearing how other CompTIA instructors think about professional development and how you've put together a certification portfolio that works for you.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
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Back when Bill Gates was the only computer nerd billionaire, I built my career on the MCSE. This involved passing six exams, which I pulled off within five months. I kept the Microsoft certifications alive up until about 2020. That’s when I embraced CompTIA as my primary certification solution.

I first earned Security+ in 2007. Now I hold A+, Security+, PenTest+, SecurityX and SecAI+. My certs from Microsoft and other software companies have expired.

My challenge now is marketing my training services for Security+ and SecAI+.
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What Certifications Have You Added Alongside CompTIA?

Gregory Childers
I have the following:

Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals
ISC2 CC, CISSP, and CISSP
ISACA CISM
AXELOS/PEOPLECERT ITIL 4 Foundation
PMI Certified Associate in Project Management
Cloud Security Alliance Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge v4
CertNexus CyberSec First Responder, Certified Internet of Things Practitioner, Certified Internet of Things Security Practitioner
Corelight Gold User
Rapid7 InsightIDR Certified Specialist
Devo Certified Platform User

Currently working on my AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate. After that, probably some AI certs like AWS Certified AI Practitioner or Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals. I also want to get the Cloud Security Alliance Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust.
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What Certifications Have You Added Alongside CompTIA?

Rick Butler
You mean, there are OTHER CERTS?!!?

lol

Lately, I've been working on Microsoft Azure stuff, since I've been doing a lot of work in Azure - just this week, I spun up a Managed Instance for SQL, stood up IIS, an NSG, and App Proxying - pretty straight forward, once I started learning what was happening.

Oh, and for those that think you can save money by hosting stuff in the cloud, read the fine print. Microsoft may be gracious and give you those 720 vCore hours for a Managed Instance in SQL for free for the first year. What they don't tell you is they burn down if the MI is running, and they burn down at a rate of 4 to 1, since the smallest MI has 4 cores. This means you get only 180 hours of run-time per month under that plan - so plan accordingly.

I also keep up the Fortinet fundamental stuff as well as certs from the CECU (since I'm in Career Higher Education).

Oh, and I'm working on certs for ministerial work as well. Yes, ministry. This week, I'm studying basic chaplaincy - maybe I'll have an ordination as the first IT Chaplain - I've prayed quite a bit in server rooms, hoping a system will come up.

Who's next?

/r
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Unused vouchers received

Mitch Garvis
Stephen Schneiter said:
Hi @Mitch Garvis, I did reach out to Legal on this suggestion, and while it is a big grey area, as far as I can see, CompTIA does not condone gifting vouchers. Also, remember that voucher numbers are assigned to the recipient when they are sent out. It has happened in the past, that vouchers were found being resold and tracked down to vouchers that were awarded through a TTT series. When asked about it, the person who received the voucher for participating in the TTT commented they gifted the voucher and was not responsible.

If you have questions feel free to reach out to me or to your CompTIA representative about any unused voucher. If there are questions you can refer to the Voucher Terms and Conditions Statement from CompTIA.
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Stephen there is no need to reach out to you any further. With regards to my career I stay out of grey areas. You say it's not condoned, I am not interested in either giving or receiving. Thanks for your quick response!

(I was actually asking completely theoretically... I have one voucher from you guys right now BUT I AM USING IT!)
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Unused vouchers received

Stephen Schneiter
Hi @Mitch Garvis, I did reach out to Legal on this suggestion, and while it is a big grey area, as far as I can see, CompTIA does not condone gifting vouchers. Also, remember that voucher numbers are assigned to the recipient when they are sent out. It has happened in the past, that vouchers were found being resold and tracked down to vouchers that were awarded through a TTT series. When asked about it, the person who received the voucher for participating in the TTT commented they gifted the voucher and was not responsible.

If you have questions feel free to reach out to me or to your CompTIA representative about any unused voucher. If there are questions you can refer to the Voucher Terms and Conditions Statement from CompTIA.
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Exam Rules - BEWARE!

Mitch Garvis
MBA said:
It's fresh on my mind since I took the exam today. The proctor explicitly asked a question about whether my screen is a touch screen. So, I suspect Pearson Vue will not allow you to test with a touch screen even if you don't touch it. -Moez
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Thank you for letting me know! I was planning on asking the next time I sit an exam, but you saved me the trouble.
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Remote Security+ Instructor

M
I am looking to hire a security+ instructor. The instructor will teach two live online sessions per week, review practice questions, explain key exam objectives, and help students prepare confidently for the certification exam. Remote opportunity with the potential for ongoing cohorts.

Interested instructors, please send me an email at [email protected] with your experience, availability, and expected rate.

Thanks,
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What Certifications Have You Added Alongside CompTIA?

Gregory Childers
I'm curious how other instructors have built their certification portfolios over the years.

CompTIA has always had a vendor-neutral philosophy, and I think that's one of its greatest strengths. It teaches concepts and skills that apply across technologies instead of focusing on a single vendor.

But many of us also teach courses or work with clients who use specific technologies. That got me wondering how everyone balances CompTIA with other certifications. Besides your CompTIA certifications, what other certifications do you currently hold? Are you pursuing anything new?

How do vendor certifications like Microsoft, AWS, Google Cloud, Cisco, Fortinet, Palo Alto Networks, or CrowdStrike fit into your portfolio? What about vendor-neutral certifications like ISC2 or ISACA? Or more specialized certifications from organizations like OffSec or GIAC?

When you're deciding what certification to earn next, what drives that decision? Customer demand? Personal interest? Better career opportunities? Something else?

I'm not looking for a right or wrong answer. I'm just interested in hearing how other CompTIA instructors think about professional development and how you've put together a certification portfolio that works for you.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
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How can I join the live TTT session?

B
Welcome! It is really easy, when the next TTT is happening, it will get announced here https://cin.comptia.org/forums/comptia-webinars.32/ and you just click register here and then an email with the link will be provided, similar to this one shown below:

1785381773165.png
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