The advantages of a SWCP

[vacuumdesigner]

Ok folks, I've been asked a question and I'm hoping for a real-world not advertising propaganda response.

What is the advantage to my company to spend the money to get at least one of my designers certified as a SolidWorks certified Professional?

It's easy to see the the benefits for the individual, but what does thre company get out of it, besides a slightly more educated designer?

 

[ctopher]

thread559-93550

Chris
SolidWorks 07 3.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 03-26-07)

 

[vacuumdesigner]

Thanks Ctopher. Doesn't sound too promising unfortunately.

 

[matherjd]

You might check into getting the CSWA (Certified SolidWorks Associate) exam first. Costs significantly less and I think it is becoming a stepping stone to the CSWP as my understanding the passing rate is somewhere around 60% for the CSWP. I suspect that most CSWPs are AEs for VARs.

Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Certified SolidWorks Professional

 

[SBaugh]

You have to be a CSWP and that is only 1 of 7 total certifications for an AE. I got my CSWP as a user then got my CSWST for doing Support.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[Sneakers]

CSWA exam, I was under the impression this was only available to students at participating universities. Do VAR's offer this also?

Matthew Dunbar, CSWP
New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc.

 

[SBaugh]

Not that I am aware of.

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[vacuumdesigner]

I can see why Sneakers would think that. To read the SW website description of the CSWA would make you think that it is for students.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

This is a sample CSWA exam

http://solidworks.com/pages/service...ertifiedSolidWorksAssociateSampleTest_001.pdf

Extracted from

http://solidworks.com/pages/services/Training/CSWA.html

From

http://solidworks.com/pages/services/Training/documents/IntroductiontotheCSWAExam.pdf

Intended Audience
The intended audience for the CSWA Certification is any student with a
minimum of 6 - 9 months of SolidWorks experience and basic knowledge of
engineering fundamentals and practices. SolidWorks recommends that you review
the online tutorials on Parts, Assemblies, and Drawings as a prerequisite and have
at least 45 hours of classroom time learning SolidWorks or using SolidWorks with
basic engineering design principles and practices.

SW07-SP3

 

[SolidsMaster]

I just took the exam last week and passed with a 91%. You need 80% for a customer, the VARs need 90%. The exam is also going into an overhaul this summer I hear, not sure exactly how it will change.

Onto the benefits to the company. If you're like me, it adds some credibility when you have new hires come in and they want you to go see this "guru" if you have questions. The company itself can also use this on there website site to say what kind of qualified people they have. I do agree, that it benefits the person more, but you can look at that as the company believes in you enough, that they will pay for this certification to invest in you. A way of investing in the employee, not just self promoting.

Hope that helps.

J

Certified SolidWork Professional
CAD will not make better designers; it will only make poor designers faster...