Solidworks Certifications

[pkennedy]

Because I got VIP for 3D Experience World I got free exam access for the Solidworks Certifications.

The last two days I burned through a few, CWSA, CWSP, CWSP-Weldments, CWSP-Sheet Metal which I all passed, I did fail the CWSP-Drawing, but that was because I had to get some rush work completed and ran out of time.

The main reason why I wanted to completed these was after working for the last 10 years and now in a management position when candidates note certifications on their resume I wanted to see what they exam consisted of.

After do those test I don't think I see the value in the certification, sure I was able to perform some tasks and get the right answers but because there is so many ways of completing operations in Solidworks I don't know if I see the value in these certs.

I'm just curious to see what other users thoughts are on the certifications?

[Glenn Schroeder]

I don't doubt that there are some advantages, but I've never bothered to take any of them.

[MJuric]

Because I got VIP for 3D Experience World I got free exam access for the Solidworks Certifications.

The last two days I burned through a few, CWSA, CWSP, CWSP-Weldments, CWSP-Sheet Metal which I all passed, I did fail the CWSP-Drawing, but that was because I had to get some rush work completed and ran out of time.

The main reason why I wanted to completed these was after working for the last 10 years and now in a management position when candidates note certifications on their resume I wanted to see what they exam consisted of.

After do those test I don't think I see the value in the certification, sure I was able to perform some tasks and get the right answers but because there is so many ways of completing operations in Solidworks I don't know if I see the value in these certs.

I'm just curious to see what other users thoughts are on the certifications?

The advantage is that any prospective employer can reasonably assume the person they are looking at to hire has at least a certain level of knowledge. It's no more or less useful than a college degree. A degree does not mean you will be able to do something, are good at something etc it merely means that at one point or another you had obtained some level of knowledge and training proven by "Passing a test".

[pkennedy]

Because I got VIP for 3D Experience World I got free exam access for the Solidworks Certifications.

The last two days I burned through a few, CWSA, CWSP, CWSP-Weldments, CWSP-Sheet Metal which I all passed, I did fail the CWSP-Drawing, but that was because I had to get some rush work completed and ran out of time.

The main reason why I wanted to completed these was after working for the last 10 years and now in a management position when candidates note certifications on their resume I wanted to see what they exam consisted of.

After do those test I don't think I see the value in the certification, sure I was able to perform some tasks and get the right answers but because there is so many ways of completing operations in Solidworks I don't know if I see the value in these certs.

I'm just curious to see what other users thoughts are on the certifications?

The advantage is that any prospective employer can reasonably assume the person they are looking at to hire has at least a certain level of knowledge. It's no more or less useful than a college degree. A degree does not mean you will be able to do something, are good at something etc it merely means that at one point or another you had obtained some level of knowledge and training proven by "Passing a test".

I'm not sure the certification is on the same level as a college degree. I will agree you do need to have some degree of experience with solidworks required to pass the tests however I know each company will have it's own processes or procedures on their way of designing in solidworks and you'll most likey training their candidates that way. Have you previously used the certifications as a way to hire employees? If so have you hired employees with or without the certifications? Did you notice a benefit between the ones who had vs the ones who haven't?

[HerrTick]

It's no more or less useful than a college degree.

My BSME has been very useful, while getting SW certification will yield no tangible benefit.

I'm not sure the certification is on the same level as a college degree.

I am certain it is not.

[kawuser]

Because I got VIP for 3D Experience World I got free exam access for the Solidworks Certifications.

The last two days I burned through a few, CWSA, CWSP, CWSP-Weldments, CWSP-Sheet Metal which I all passed, I did fail the CWSP-Drawing, but that was because I had to get some rush work completed and ran out of time.

The main reason why I wanted to completed these was after working for the last 10 years and now in a management position when candidates note certifications on their resume I wanted to see what they exam consisted of.

After do those test I don't think I see the value in the certification, sure I was able to perform some tasks and get the right answers but because there is so many ways of completing operations in Solidworks I don't know if I see the value in these certs.

I'm just curious to see what other users thoughts are on the certifications?

The advantage is that any prospective employer can reasonably assume the person they are looking at to hire has at least a certain level of knowledge. It's no more or less useful than a college degree. A degree does not mean you will be able to do something, are good at something etc it merely means that at one point or another you had obtained some level of knowledge and training proven by "Passing a test".

I'm not sure the certification is on the same level as a college degree. I will agree you do need to have some degree of experience with solidworks required to pass the tests however I know each company will have it's own processes or procedures on their way of designing in solidworks and you'll most likey training their candidates that way. Have you previously used the certifications as a way to hire employees? If so have you hired employees with or without the certifications? Did you notice a benefit between the ones who had vs the ones who haven't?

I do the solidworks training for all new engineering hires at the company I work at. Yes there is a noticeable benefit between those who show up with solidworks certifications and those that don't. We have to spend additional training time with those who don't have certification. Which cost the company more money. We require all new engineering hires that don't have a CSWA certification to get certified and we pay for their time and the test. We don't have to spend that time or funds for those who show up with the certification when they walk in the door. So it is a benefit to us for those that do verses those that don't have certification.

[MJuric]

Because I got VIP for 3D Experience World I got free exam access for the Solidworks Certifications.

The last two days I burned through a few, CWSA, CWSP, CWSP-Weldments, CWSP-Sheet Metal which I all passed, I did fail the CWSP-Drawing, but that was because I had to get some rush work completed and ran out of time.

The main reason why I wanted to completed these was after working for the last 10 years and now in a management position when candidates note certifications on their resume I wanted to see what they exam consisted of.

After do those test I don't think I see the value in the certification, sure I was able to perform some tasks and get the right answers but because there is so many ways of completing operations in Solidworks I don't know if I see the value in these certs.

I'm just curious to see what other users thoughts are on the certifications?

The advantage is that any prospective employer can reasonably assume the person they are looking at to hire has at least a certain level of knowledge. It's no more or less useful than a college degree. A degree does not mean you will be able to do something, are good at something etc it merely means that at one point or another you had obtained some level of knowledge and training proven by "Passing a test".

I'm not sure the certification is on the same level as a college degree.

I was not intending to equate a Degree to a SW certification. I was intending to say that they both served the same purpose, an indication to the employer as to what level of knowledge and expertise the potential employee has. Certainly, well hopefully, a degree of any kind would include a considerable amount of more knowledge gained than what is necessary to get a SW certification.

I will agree you do need to have some degree of experience with solidworks required to pass the tests however I know each company will have it's own processes or procedures on their way of designing in solidworks and you'll most likey training their candidates that way.

The exact same can be said for a college degree. Just because you have a degree does not mean you have any knowledge of how the company that hires you does what they do and how they do it. A degree is merely a certificate showing the employer that you have attained a certain level of knowledge, same as SW certificate.

Ask anyone today hiring engineers. For the most part companies spend many years "Training" degreed engineers on how to actually design things and how that company approaches it. I've seen MANY cases of degreed engineers that simply could not make it as engineers in the real world.

Have you previously used the certifications as a way to hire employees? If so have you hired employees with or without the certifications? Did you notice a benefit between the ones who had vs the ones who haven't?

I have hired people for many different types of positions and for each their resume has told me what level of knowledge they have at one point gained.

I have hired and worked with people that had degrees that offered less benefit in similar positions than people I have hired without degrees. I have hired people with years of experience that have offered less benefit than people with far fewer years of experience. I have hired people with certificates that have offered far less benefit than people without that certificate.

Again a degree, a certificate or any other piece of paper or experience is merely an indicator, not a guarantee. I have worked with people with degrees that clearly chose the wrong career and offered less benefit to the company than people we gave less training to without degrees. I have worked with people with every "Certificate" on the planet that were little more than resource drains.

None of this changes the fact that all of these people at one point had a certain level of desirable knowledge as proven by their individual experience, training or education and that any given employer can use that as a factor when considering a person for employment.

[MJuric]

The advantage is that any prospective employer can reasonably assume the person they are looking at to hire has at least a certain level of knowledge. It's no more or less useful than a college degree. A degree does not mean you will be able to do something, are good at something etc it merely means that at one point or another you had obtained some level of knowledge and training proven by "Passing a test".

I'm not sure the certification is on the same level as a college degree. I will agree you do need to have some degree of experience with solidworks required to pass the tests however I know each company will have it's own processes or procedures on their way of designing in solidworks and you'll most likey training their candidates that way. Have you previously used the certifications as a way to hire employees? If so have you hired employees with or without the certifications? Did you notice a benefit between the ones who had vs the ones who haven't?

I do the solidworks training for all new engineering hires at the company I work at. Yes there is a noticeable benefit between those who show up with solidworks certifications and those that don't. We have to spend additional training time with those who don't have certification. Which cost the company more money. We require all new engineering hires that don't have a CSWA certification to get certified and we pay for their time and the test. We don't have to spend that time or funds for those who show up with the certification when they walk in the door. So it is a benefit to us for those that do verses those that don't have certification.

To say that passing a SW certification test holds no value would be akin to saying a college degree holds no value. You are in essence saying one group of people with no evidence of being able to use SW to any level are as trained and as efficient with SW as another group that has passed several tests showing they are trained and efficient to some level.

By comparison it would be like saying one group of people without degrees are as likely to be able to be effective in an engineering position as another group with engineering degrees. Certainly some people in the "Non certified/Degreed" group may actually be able to perform the function required better than the people in the "Certified/Degreed" group, but you have absolutely zero evidence to make that decision on.

[matt]

I've taken a few tests but not recently. For me they don't have any real value, but for others who haven't had a way to prove themselves, they might have some value. For employers sorting through piles of resumes, they might have a value. For some people they add a sense of accomplishment, and I can see value in that.

Do they have the intended value? Not sure. I know some of the tests have been questionable, but they got better over time.

[Damo]

This is interesting.

I have recently come across this CSWA certification thing.
(Well, I knew about it of course but I have been doing the work so long I never really thought about spending "X" number of hours to see if I could do the work..!? if you know what I mean.)
It was a question someone asked in the swamp about the CSWP test and I helped (a little) but questioned the person's readiness for the test, realising I had done so without really knowing what the tests entail.
And so.... Methinks I will go and do a couple.
I am curious how many members here have also done any, and which.?

[AlexLachance]

This is interesting.

I have recently come across this CSWA certification thing.
(Well, I knew about it of course but I have been doing the work so long I never really thought about spending "X" number of hours to see if I could do the work..!? if you know what I mean.)
It was a question someone asked in the swamp about the CSWP test and I helped (a little) but questioned the person's readiness for the test, realising I had done so without really knowing what the tests entail.
And so.... Methinks I will go and do a couple.
I am curious how many members here have also done any, and which.?

Heard of it but never took the time to take them. Figured it wasn't worth anything to the eyes of employers except bragging rights. Dassault and VAR's do not really do a good job at promoting it either. Never heard anyone ask "Have you got your CSWA certification", but I have seen plenty of "Need to know the basics of SolidWorks"

[AlexB]

I am curious how many members here have also done any, and which.?

I've gone as far as getting the CSWE as well as some PDM specific Admin certifications.

What does it all mean? Nothing, really. Employers don't really know how much or how little work goes into these certifications so at best it may give slight advantage when compared to a candidate that does not have them. All it really shows is that you know how to use the features within Solidworks. The only gauge for why you use certain tools or how you model a part or assembly come only from experience.

[TTevolve]

I have a couple from back in the day, the test was pretty easy if you have experience using Solidworks. I took it on a whim because we got it free with our VAR support. If I had to make a choice to hire someone with it or without it, the person having it would probably get hired since it tells me the sort of know the software.

I'm with AlexB on this though, not many employers are going to know what it means unless they have used solidowrks before.

[Damo]

I've taken a few tests but not recently. For me they don't have any real value, but for others who haven't had a way to prove themselves, they might have some value. For employers sorting through piles of resumes, they might have a value. For some people they add a sense of accomplishment, and I can see value in that.

Do they have the intended value? Not sure. I know some of the tests have been questionable, but they got better over time.

I have a couple from back in the day, the test was pretty easy if you have experience using Solidworks. I took it on a whim because we got it free with our VAR support. If I had to make a choice to hire someone with it or without it, the person having it would probably get hired since it tells me the sort of know the software.

I'm with AlexB on this though, not many employers are going to know what it means unless they have used solidowrks before.

I've gone as far as getting the CSWE as well as some PDM specific Admin certifications.

What does it all mean? Nothing, really. Employers don't really know how much or how little work goes into these certifications so at best it may give slight advantage when compared to a candidate that does not have them. All it really shows is that you know how to use the features within Solidworks. The only gauge for why you use certain tools or how you model a part or assembly come only from experience.

Heard of it but never took the time to take them. Figured it wasn't worth anything to the eyes of employers except bragging rights. Dassault and VAR's do not really do a good job at promoting it either. Never heard anyone ask "Have you got your CSWA certification", but I have seen plenty of "Need to know the basics of SolidWorks"

So, little more than eye-candy/padding for a portfolio, or bragging rights for big-shots.

It is interesting to note that some of you blokes I've been learning from for years, either don't have any, or don't rate them as valuable.
And fair enough too I suppose, after all it isn't like it's a degree or trade certificate.

Well, I did get me some vouchers, so I may just do a couple anyway, they're free after all. And I may learn something I did not know..

Meh.

[SPerman]

In the small sample size of this forum, it seems like quite a few of the people with certificates got them when they were working for a VAR.

[AlexB]

I suppose my earlier reply did sound a bit negative. To those using the software, certifications are more valuable. A random HR person doesn’t have any idea what is involved in getting certified so if you’re just getting it to pad your resume then you may be disappointed with how little it may help.

Now, as a Solidworks user, I have access to certification tests through my employer since we are on active subscription with SW. Same goes to anyone else in the same situation. So, it doesn’t hurt to get all the free certifications you can. It’ll help you learn aspects of the software you may otherwise not use in your normal workflow. I believe you can access all certification exams to make you eligible for CSWE.

[Arthur NY]

Let's be clear.... these Solidworks exams do not equate to the BAR exam to become a lawyer. They're easy to do and require very little in terms of actual software knowledge.

For example, the mold design test is quite literally set up to just go from left to right on the Molds toolbar and use them to pass the test. There's very little that the test does that overall base knowledge of the software doesn't cover.

To anyone that says that it cost money to train someone on the software and best practices is selling a hill with beans on it. First, knowing this software that's been around since 1995 means there are a TON of areas that could use for some help. There's no SW test that can replace the longevity of working in the software on a day today basis.

[dave.laban]

I got as far as CSWE level. Mostly because I was the only one in the company at the time who cared enough to use all the free exam vouchers we were getting from the VAR. I was also in a corporate structure that placed value on "employee development" so getting those certifications were an easy way to get some big tick boxes come annual review time.

I failed the surfacing one first time because I'd basically never used any of the tools before due to the work I was doing. Mold tools was embarrassingly easy to pass. CSWE certainly made me think at times but wasn't too bad in the end.