Is it worth getting Solidworks Certifications?

[Adam Baker]

I'm currently enrolled in an Advanced 3D Solid Modeling course at a local college, and one of the things the instructor touched on, was the testing for the certifications that can be obtained through Solidworks / Dassault Systèmes.

There are 3 certifications listed through the Solidworks site, Certified SolidWorks Associate, Certified SolidWorks Professional and Certified SolidWorks Expert. The CSWA & CSWP are 99 each for the certification tests and the CSWE is 150.

Im thinking I might be able to get the company I work for to pay for the CSWP test, but I'm just wondering if this is something that would be useful in a job hunt, having it listed on my resume.

[jupdyke]

I have my CSWP and got it when that was the only test available. It was an 8 hour exam and you had to go to testing site. I took mine at SolidWorks World, which is the huge conference they have every year.

Anyway, I think that it is something you should really consider. The world is full of people that can use a CAD package and list it as one of their skills. But what does that really show? How many people only have a little experience? The certification shows that you really know your stuff and sets you apart from others.

I understand that the cost is a concern, and it can be tough to justify that expense these days. If you are looking for a job, or just trying to stack the deck for your next promotion it is worth the cost. If you can get your company to pay for it then you should always go for it. It is only a few hours of your time, and shows you are motivated to improve skills.

I have seen many jobs on Monster that list SolidWorks specifically, and I think that number is growing as they take more of the market share in CAD. Also, SolidWorks has a page where you can list your name and contact information if you choose, so people looking for a SW pro can find you.

So the question is really why shouldn't you take the exam? By the way, SW has a university program where universities can enroll and get vouchers for a free CSWA exam for their students. When I was teaching the SW class at Kansas State University I was given several hundred each semester. My university loved it because it was one more thing they could brag about. Maybe the local college would like chance to show off too. Here is a link to a description of the program.
http://www.catt-llc.com/SolidWorks_CSWA.pdf

Also, if your company has a subscription service to SW you may have free exams available as well.

If you have any questions or want advice PM me.
josh

[Adam Baker]

Thank you very much for the info. I figured it was probably worth going for, but wanted to get some input on it.

I'll definitely look into whether my company has a subscription or not. I know that the system is updated w/ every new release, and its updated annually to the newest software, so I know they keep up w/ it.

I will also ask the professor of my class next week, if they have any vouchers for the certs, that would be excellent to come across.

[jupdyke]

I suspect that your instructor at the college has no idea the program even exists. If I didn't know Jeremy Luchini, I wouldn't have ever heard of it. Sadly it doesn't get advertised much. Not sure why.

To enroll all you have to do is fill out an online form and maybe send an e-mail. Then I got a email response with a voucher for each student in my class. lol

Josh

[gurew]

i think certs are a waste of money IF and i repeat IF you are taking the classes only for the cert....

and ill rephrase that..

if you get the cert for KNOWLEDGE then its worth it...the piece of paper is worthless...its what you gain in terms of knowledge is what you pay for...

and with that being said i have a veeeery long list of certs most of which i dont even use for my job...ie ccna and ccnp cisco certs...id rather weld and program cnc machines all day long than configure routers and setup networks

[Adam Baker]

Well, I'm not taking the class just to get the cert. Im taking the class to learn to use the program. I actually didnt know anything at all about the certs until last night.

I look at it like having the cert could help me get a job using Solidworks, which would give me the chance to learn it better and get more experience w/ it.

The class I'm taking is going to be excellent in that it will teach me what I dont know. But what I really need once I'm done, is a job using it, so that I can expand on what I learn in the class.

[gurew]

i dont think having the cert will get you the job...being able to perform and design in solidworks will... either way...go and get the knowledge

[jupdyke]

I disagree with gurew actually. When you apply for a job the employer hardly takes the time to decide who is the most qualified for the job. They do not interview everyone, look at their skill, give them any kind of tests to show it. No they look at your resume, along with hundreds of others, and have a short interview. They hire you based on the way you look on paper and how you handle yourself in a meeting.

My point is that when you apply for jobs you will put a small blurb on your resume that you know how to use SolidWorks. That blurb can be that you have used it or that you are certified in the program. I don't think you will get hired because of the certification, but it might be that little thing that sets your resume apart from the hundred of other applicants that simply put 'SolidWorks Experience' down. If that gets you an interview I would say it was worth the time to take the test, and maybe even the $99 you spent on the exam if you pay for it yourself.

That being said, I don't think you will get a job over someone with 3 years experience, even if they don't have any certification. But you wouldn't have got the job anyway. The skill is what is important for sure, but how to show you have the skill on a resume is also important.

just my $0.02
josh

[gurew]

with all due respect (and i said with all due respect) thats a crock of ****... esp when it comes to cad/cam design. simply having a cert doesnt make you qualified..nor does it even help your chances of getting a job..esp in this piss poor economy.

i dont know what you have on your resume but mine (not that i need to use it ever) clearly says "can use solidworks and not waste time redrawing the same part 35 times". if a company has that mindset...clearly they arent someone you want to work for and most likely the people working for them will get you hurt via some accident in the shop.

certs dont get you jobs..skills do..period

remember i said with all due respect

[jupdyke]

gurew. First thanks for making me smile when reading your reply. I don't claim to be due any more respect than you would give a random stranger. In fact less than most because I am a young guy. I appreciate your opinion and enjoy a healthy discussion.

I never said the certification would get you the job. I said having the certification is one more feather in your cap. My point was how is it in this job market that you are supposed to show you know anything about CAD / CAM? Most companies have an online application process, use software filters to weed through huge numbers of resumes, and then an HR person looks at your resume without really knowing anything about the skills that are needed.

I am an engineer and not a machinist or draftsman by the way. As I said in my previous post, I do not claim that having a certification will get you the job. You claim its the skill that get you the job. How do you show you have such a skill. The SolidWorks exams are fairly difficult and give credibility to your statement that you know what you are doing. I never claimed you had to have a certificate in order to have the skills. I am well aware of many people who are more knowledgeable about a topic than those who have a degree or work in that field.

I also know that every single engineering student graduating from the university I taught at can put SolidWorks experience on their resume. But what does that show. Absolutely nothing. If instead they took and passed one of these exams, they can put something one step above that. I also told my students to keep the models they made and the final project so they could use it as part of a portfolio. These things demonstrate skill, rather then just making a unsupported claim to it.

Your previous experience and work history also support this claim, and if the company actually checks your references then that will support it as well. I never claimed that being skilled didn't get you the job. I claimed that if you have the option of getting a certification at little or no cost to you, it would behoove you to do so.

I know a lot of engineers, machinist, mechanics, draftsmen and countless others that are dumber than a box of rocks. But on paper they look the same to me. The have a job and can claim they used SolidWorks every work day for five years. I can model anything they can in less time, more accurately and make it easier to update. But on paper we look the same, except for the fact that I am certified.

Skills get you the job, agreed. But the certification doesn't hurt, and might even help.

Josh

[gurew]

im just giving you a hard time hopefully no harm done!

certs will never hurt you, they MAY help, however the skill and knowledge you gain along the way to getting the certs can prove to be most valuable in the long run

[jupdyke]

nah, like I said you made me laugh when I read your post.

I also think that setting a definitive goal help when trying to learn something. The certification shows you what areas you might need to work on, and can give you that satisfaction of completing something.

one final point is that at SolidWorks World there is a special party where only the CSWP are allowed to get in. Free food, free booze and usually some really cool entertainment. One year it was a beach party with a wave machine for surfing, another had a bunch of gas powered rc cars and race tracks set up all over. Did I mention the free booze? lol

josh