Should a 1st year software engineering student get a CompTIA Certificate?

[Kanac]

I recently finished my 1st year at a top 20 university for software engineering, and am looking into summer jobs before my co-op semesters start. I have been reading about CompTIA certificates and am wondering if computer science or engineering students usually get these certificates. If I were to get a CompTIA A+ certification, this would allow me to get a better than minimum wage typical summer job, but how relevant would this be for my future career? This certificate seems more suited for people repairing computers rather than software engineering, but would it still be helpful? Is there a better path I could pursue in my summer before my 2nd year of university?

 

[Illumynization]

It's always a plus to have certifications, regardless of whether you will be using the skills or not. From an employers point of view it helps select you over others. Consider that it costs just over $350 to take the A+ exam. As a college student myself, it's tough to get that kind of money together for something like this.

You could just blow away your employers with your knowledge of A+ material rather than putting it on paper.