CSWA or Certified Solidworks Associate is a certification to prove your competency in using Solidworks, a solid modeling computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) computer program.
To obtain the certificate, the candidate must sit for 2 hours of online exam and score at least 70%.
Is it worth getting? The answer is definitely yes!
Even if it is only for extra certification to set you apart from other graduates.
There are "only" around 209 CSWA in Malaysia based on the database from the certification center (yes, I counted, so you don't have to) compared to more than 98,000 registered engineers in the country.
Also, many people claim to be "proficient" on Solidworks (self learn from youtube, playing around, touch a bit in college) but I believe these certifications help to prove it. Below are some famous companies that use the certification:
Source: Payscale
Another reason to get certified is the potential for freelancing. A glance at Fiverr or PeoplePerHour shows that the going rate for a 3D model goes anywhere from RM40 to RM4000. Getting certified will go a long way in helping you start your freelancing career to earn some extra income.
That said, obtaining your CSWA isn't exactly a walk in the park, especially for those who do not have years of experience using CAD software.
Next time, I will post on How to Study for CSWA.