On
February 4, 2000,
Apple introduced the
AppleCare Technican Training program. The program provides training in preparation for the AppleCare service certification exams, whose most likely
X86 platform equivalent would be
CompTIA's
A+ exam. Prior to this release, such training was reserved for those in the employ of an
AASP (Apple Authorized Service Provider), an arrangement which recreated the familiar
Catch 22 of needing experience to get a job, and a job to get experience.
The package, which retails for $299 (USD), contains a Technician Training CD (which focuses mainly on the tests themselves), a Service Source CD (a stripped down version of the service manuals and parts databases available to AASP's), and MacTest Pro diagnostic CDs.
Sources:
http://www.apple.com/support/products/techtrain.html
http://www.macobserver.com/news/00/february/000207/applecaretraining.shtml
http://www.macfixit.com/extras/techprogram.shtml