IT trade association Comptia today (6 June) announced a major revamp of its A+ certification for IT professionals, to place greater emphasis on information security and soft skills, such as communication and business understanding.

Comptia said the new criteria, which will apply in the autumn, follow calls from employers to update the entry-level certification to meet their needs.

"Five years ago IT technicians were often underground within a company and simply tasked with fixing hardware and software," said Matthew Poyiadgi, regional director for Comptia in Europe. "But now IT sits alongside the business and as a result soft skills are more important. It is not enough to just have IT skills anymore."

The new exams will test IT workers ability to interact and communicate verbally and in writing with colleagues, customers, and partners.

The growing importance of information security and environmental awareness will also be reflected in the updated exam, which will test workers' understanding of these issues.

Poyiadgi said the modular nature of the exam means candidates could tailor the certification to ensure it meets their employment goals. The first exam will cover core skills, and candidates will be able to select the second exam for skills in specific job environments in their industry.

Despite the imminent changes, Neill Hopkins, vice-president for skills development at Comptia said in a statement that candidates now studying for, or considering Comptia A+ certification, should continue their preparation, "as there is ample time available to them to achieve the certification based on its current objectives”.

Currently over 700,000 people globally have Comptia A+ certification, which covers the basics of computer hardware and software for new IT technicians.