Solidworks Training / Certification
Solidworks Training / Certification
(OP)
Hi everybody,
I'm currently looking into the Solidworks CSWP certification, and I'm looking for a good way to prepare for it. I've been hoping to purchase a set of the training manuals as used in the training courses provided by resellers, but I haven't had any luck in convincing anybody to sell to me. Those who are willing to sell them aren't willing to sell to me because the company I work for uses a different reseller (who just won't sell to me). Rather than explaining the whole situation, I thought I'd post an e-mail that I send to a Solidworks rep. Have a look:
=============================================
Hi,
Thanks for the info and for getting back to me about the training manuals. Perhaps you can answer some other questions for me.
I’m just about to finish a degree in mechanical engineering, and I’m interested in the CSWP certification. I’ve used Solidworks quite a bit both in school and on an internship, and I would like to pursue a career in design with Solidworks. However, I know that I would not be prepared if I were to take the exam now. I have looked into the Solidworks training courses that are offered, but I am not able to make the sort of financial commitment that would be required to use the courses to prepare, and further, I feel that they are a bit more extensive than what I need. So, that’s why I was hoping to obtain the manuals and use them as a guide for learning more of the terminology and lesser-used features. I figured that they would be ideal in that the language and methods used would be tuned perfectly for the exam.
If this is not possible, I’m wondering if there’s anything else that you can recommend for my purposes. I’ve looked into some different books that are out there (Inside Solidworks, Engineering Design with Solidworks, Solidworks for Designers), but I really want something that gets into more of the advanced topics and would help me feel a bit more prepared for the exam. Is there anything you would recommend?
Thanks very much
=============================================
Anybody have any suggestions for me, either on how to obtain the manuals or on what other literature is out there?
Thanks much.
I'm currently looking into the Solidworks CSWP certification, and I'm looking for a good way to prepare for it. I've been hoping to purchase a set of the training manuals as used in the training courses provided by resellers, but I haven't had any luck in convincing anybody to sell to me. Those who are willing to sell them aren't willing to sell to me because the company I work for uses a different reseller (who just won't sell to me). Rather than explaining the whole situation, I thought I'd post an e-mail that I send to a Solidworks rep. Have a look:
=============================================
Hi,
Thanks for the info and for getting back to me about the training manuals. Perhaps you can answer some other questions for me.
I’m just about to finish a degree in mechanical engineering, and I’m interested in the CSWP certification. I’ve used Solidworks quite a bit both in school and on an internship, and I would like to pursue a career in design with Solidworks. However, I know that I would not be prepared if I were to take the exam now. I have looked into the Solidworks training courses that are offered, but I am not able to make the sort of financial commitment that would be required to use the courses to prepare, and further, I feel that they are a bit more extensive than what I need. So, that’s why I was hoping to obtain the manuals and use them as a guide for learning more of the terminology and lesser-used features. I figured that they would be ideal in that the language and methods used would be tuned perfectly for the exam.
If this is not possible, I’m wondering if there’s anything else that you can recommend for my purposes. I’ve looked into some different books that are out there (Inside Solidworks, Engineering Design with Solidworks, Solidworks for Designers), but I really want something that gets into more of the advanced topics and would help me feel a bit more prepared for the exam. Is there anything you would recommend?
Thanks very much
=============================================
Anybody have any suggestions for me, either on how to obtain the manuals or on what other literature is out there?
Thanks much.






RE: Solidworks Training / Certification
Best Regards,
Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SW2007 SP 2.0 & Pro/E 2001
Dell Precision 370
P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)
Never argue with an idiot. They'll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience every time.
RE: Solidworks Training / Certification
thread559-157145
Chris
SolidWorks 06 5.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)
RE: Solidworks Training / Certification
They also have a skills assessment;
http://www.cati.com/igetit_skills_gap_analysis.htm
RE: Solidworks Training / Certification
amazon.com?
I used i.get.it for the 2006-2007 upgrade to try it out and it looks to be a pretty good program.
RE: Solidworks Training / Certification
Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
CAD Administrator
SW '07 SP2.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog
RE: Solidworks Training / Certification
I have been watching on eBay for the manuals, but I've found that even the 2006 editions are rather rare, and I have yet to see any 2007 (leading me to wonder whether or not they're being used yet?).
I did get a VAR to tell me that a "set" of the books (I don't know exactly which books that would include) would cost about $500. The standard Solidworks package on i.get.it is $700. After checking it out and hearing what you all have to say about it, that seems like it would be a pretty good buy. So then I just have to decide whether $700 + $400 to take the exam is a good investment for someone like myself. I've already got plenty of debt coming from school, but I'm thinking that having a CSWP would give me a nice advantage as I look for some entry-level positions.
But, I have a hard time feeling confident about it, as my experience is pretty limited. So, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject.
Thanks again.
RE: Solidworks Training / Certification
It helps to know a little about most every facet of SW and to be proficient in one "advanced" area.
Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
CAD Administrator
SW '07 SP2.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog
RE: Solidworks Training / Certification
One other thing that you might want to keep in mind is that VARs will often do like a "boot camp" to get people ready for the exam. People who attend that when it's offered generally find it helpful based on what I've heard.
Good luck!
Chris Gervais
Application Engineer
CSWP, CSWST
RE: Solidworks Training / Certification
I just still don't know if I should pull the trigger.
What do you think of the value of CSWP for someone like myself -- looking for his first professional job in design? Is it worth the $1100 or so for training and testing to have it on my resume (not to mention the skills gained in the process)?
Look forward to hearing your thoughts.
RE: Solidworks Training / Certification
Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
CAD Administrator
SW '07 SP2.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog
RE: Solidworks Training / Certification
Thanks again for all the advice everybody.
RE: Solidworks Training / Certification
Grant
Applications Engineer
SW2006 SP 4.0
IBM InteliStation Pro M
P4 3.4 GHz, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NIVIDA Quadro FX 3000