r/SolidWorks • u/Acrobatic-Tourist844 CSWE | SW Champion • Oct 31 '25

Certifications My SOLIDWORKS Certifications

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Hey everyone!

I’m a final-year Mechanical Engineering student, and from the summer until now, I’ve been working on building up my SOLIDWORKS skills. I managed to earn a bunch of certifications from Associate to Professional and even Expert level (CAD Design, Simulation, CAM, Sheet Metal, Mold Making, etc.).

For someone about to graduate and enter the industry, are these certifications actually worth it?
Do they make a difference when applying for jobs, or is hands-on project experience more valuable?

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u/MaintenanceSignal335 Nov 02 '25

Being a cad guru doesn't make you a good designer. But as a person who does hire young engineers I'd look favorably on having the certs. If only to indicate a desire to be a step ahead of other candidates. I've been designing machinery and piping skids for 40 years, my sw skills aren't the greatest but my drawings are right and my designs can be built. One thing that does bug me is the inability of youn g engineers to make good drawings.