Innovative experiential learning solutions announced by industry leaders
demonstrates best practices in CompTIA A+ 2009 Edition skills delivery.
London, UK and Pleasanton, CA – January 27, 2010 – gtslearning, the leading supplier of CompTIA-approved learning
content, and Toolwire, a world-leader in experiential learning solutions for IT
and the 2009 IITT Innovation in Training Services Gold Award Winner, announced
a new training solution today for CompTIA A+ 2009 Edition. This new collaborative learning solution
combines the widely lauded strength of gtslearning content and the
award-winning hands-on power of Toolwire LiveLabs and “Day-in-the-Life”
Interactive Scenarios.
The CompTIA A+ certification is the industry
standard for computer support professionals and has long been acknowledged as a
primary catalyst for careers in Information Technology. The vendor-neutral certification has been
designed to prove competence in a broad range of computer support skills,
including installation, preventative maintenance, networking, security, and
troubleshooting. In addition, certified
technicians must prove that they command the necessary customer service and
communication skills to work with clients in today’s modern, highly connected
world.
The announcement took place today, at the Learning Technologies
Conference in London, and Matthew Poyiadgi, Vice President EMEA for CompTIA
said “bringing together two of the IT industry’s most innovative learning
leaders is a significant vote of confidence in the latest version of CompTIA
A+. We look forward to implementing
these experiential learning solutions and providing certification candidates
with first-class preparation, no matter what challenges of time and distance
they may be confronted with.”
This latest CompTIA A+ certification, 2009 Edition,
requires candidates to prepare for, and pass, two exams: CompTIA A+ Essentials
and CompTIA A+ Practical Application. CompTIA A+ Essentials measures the necessary competencies of an entry-level IT
professional with hundreds of hours of hands-on experience in the field. CompTIA A+ Practical Application is an extension of the knowledge learned in
Essentials, with more of a "hands-on" orientation focused on
troubleshooting scenarios in which specific tools must be applied to resolve
“real-life” problems.
gtslearning and Toolwire have joined to co-create
compelling CompTIA A+ courseware featuring real-world virtual labs and
scenarios for Essentials and Practical Application. These Interactive Scenarios bring the
learning to life with several weeks in a “technology apprenticeship” with real
equipment, operating systems, and applications – all delivered anytime,
anywhere via a web-enabled browser.
“We are delighted that Toolwire has partnered with
gtslearning to create a unique CompTIA A+ learning solution that will have
strong appeal to education centers around the world” said Robin Adda, gtslearning’s
Managing Director. “Toolwire is recognized as a leading provider of online
experiential learning and combining Toolwire’s purpose-built virtual labs with
gtslearning’s award-winning CompTIA-approved curriculum enables us to offer a
‘best of breed’ blended learning solution to meet changing demands in the
CompTIA education market.”
These unique Interactive Scenarios are designed
around an IT Technician’s roles and help students translate realistic requests
from co-workers and customers (via phone, email, meetings and site visits) into
viable IT solutions. For example, in a customer service Scenario involving
viruses, the student is guided through the process of gathering all relevant
data, identifying the virus, and then inoculating it in a risk-free, insulated
hands-on virtual data center.
This breakthrough blended
learning solution embraces the latest technologies to provide not only
individuals with a great learning resource, but also instructors and lecturers
with a flexible, scalable, anytime, anywhere, solution to power their online IT
programs so they can focus on what they do best: educating their students.
"We are all being challenged
daily to rapidly and profoundly change our approach and attitudes towards
learning, and embrace innovative solutions in order to remain competitive in
the fast-changing global economy," said John Valencia, CEO and President
of Toolwire. "We look forward to ensuring the success of future CompTIA A+
certification candidates through their use of these combined world class
technologies.”
About gtslearning
gtslearning’s mission is to be the leader in the global distribution of
training solutions leading to internationally recognized certifications for
generic IT baseline technical skills which are underpinned by internationally recognized
certifications. Since 1998, we have provided IT technical courseware and online
learning tools to academic and commercial training centers, vendors and channel
partners in every corner of the world, and have made a significant contribution
to the growth of CompTIA certifications both inside and outside of North
America. Visit www.gtslearning.com for
more information.
About Toolwire
Toolwire, Inc. is the
world-leader in experiential learning solutions for Information Technology.
Toolwire's hands-on LiveLabs and Scenarios provide on-demand, personalized
practice with live systems for blended training initiatives. “Learning by
doing” provides the quickest and most effective way to develop skills and
ensure ongoing competency with technology. The company is
headquartered in Pleasanton, CA. For more information, please visit www.toolwire.com
About CompTIA A+
CompTIA A+ is part of the certification track for corporations
such as Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco and Novell, while other technology
companies, including CompuCom and Ricoh, have made CompTIA A+ certification
mandatory for their service technicians. More than 700,000 people worldwide
have become CompTIA A+ certified since the program’s inception in 1993. www.comptia.org
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Media Contacts:
Cameron D. Crowe
Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Development
Toolwire, Inc.
1-925-227-8500 x161 (t)
1-408-489-8138 (m)
ccrowe@toolwire.com
Robin Adda
Managing Director :: gtslearning International
Three
Elysium Gate, 126-128 New King’s Road, London SW6 4LZ
t. +44 (0) 20 7887 7990 f. +44 (0) 20 7887 7988 m.
+44 (0) 777 555 7550
robin@gtslearning.com
