SolidWorks Stimulus Package

[JMirisola]

The SolidWorks Stimulus plan will start in April. Unemployed can get free use of SolidWorks Standard for 90 days. Files will be watermarked...

That's all I have right now.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP, Certified DriveWorks AE
CAD Administrator, Ultimate Survival Technologies
My Blog

 

[ctopher]

Thanks!

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 08; CATIA V5
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
SolidWorks Legion

 

[Eltron]

How is SW going to know who is unemployed?

Dan

http://www.eltronresearch.com

Dan's Blog

 

[JMirisola]

Dan,
Not sure about that part. Maybe you have to show your unemployment check?

A bit more info:
It sounds like the goal is to get people good enough to go for the CSWA. I heard, too, that SolidWorks wants the VARs to offer free training (VARs can go to their respective states for "retraining" grants, as well as the Federal Government). I'm still trying to get the whole story.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP, Certified DriveWorks AE
CAD Administrator, Ultimate Survival Technologies
My Blog

 

[JMirisola]

Got some more info:

The idea is to help displaced engineers and designers sharpen their skills in order to make them more employable. How is this going to be done? The plan is three phased.

First, free downloads of SolidWorks 2009 standard. (Yes, it’s the Student Design Kit.) For the time being, it will only the English version and only available in the U.S. and Canada. Details are still being worked out on overseas plans. The downloads are expected to start in April 2009 and will have a 90-day life.

Two, currently it will be mostly self training via the tutorials and more video content. SolidWorks is asking their VARs to step up and help in this area (think Fisher/Unitech’s ‘No Engineer Left Behind’). While 1/2 day hands-on test drives are more than likely, SolidWorks would like to see their VARs offer unemployed engineers empty seats in essentials classes. It will be interesting to see how many of them actually step up and do it. Most state governments, as well as the Feds, offer re-training grants, so hopefully that will help to motivate the VARs.

The third phase involves offering discounted CSWA exams, and by discounted I hope they mean free, as well as a job portal.

As I understand it, this will all be triggered by a survey due out in mid-March. As soon as I know, I’ll pass on the information.

Most of this information will be available at SolidWorks’ website in a short amount of time. There are lingering questions, though. How will they determine if someone is actually unemployed is the first thing that comes to mind. When will our overseas brethren see the program? How many VARs will actually step up to the plate? What can we, as a community, do to help this succeed?

While I think that this is a great idea, its success will lie in the motivation of the individual to learn and the willingness of VARs to help out. Now would be a good time for them to truly put meaning behind Value Added Reseller.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP, Certified DriveWorks AE
CAD Administrator, Ultimate Survival Technologies
My Blog

 

[Amorak]

I wonder what the water mark says... "please hire me"

Considering that they do have a watermark I am assuming they will just let everyone use the student version for 3 months. I can just imagine all the crap you would get from a machinist if you tried to get parts made with the watermark on your prints.

 

[ctopher]

It's for training purposes, not production.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 08; CATIA V5
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
SolidWorks Legion

 

[MechEng2005]

The SW "Engineering Stimulus Package" is now being offered:

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/news/167_6327_ENU_HTML.htm

-- MechEng2005

 

[hugou]

As this is now apparently available in Europe and I'm currently struggling to find a new Pro/E contract, I thought I'd give this a go. Has anyone else experienced probelems downloading the file? It gets me to run some download application then when I click on the link not a lot happens. If I right click - 'save target as' I get the error message "no such interface supported"
Any suggestions?