Melbourne High

The Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate exam was a certification that checked on a student’s skill in the SOLIDWORKS program. It was often taken by engineering students to show they understood how to design and build 3D models on a computer. The test was three hours long and had 14 questions related to CAD. “The certification is a test of knowledge for students to get certified in SOLIDWORKS.” said Jacob Culwell, a student in engineering that took the certification. “It checks your skills and knowledge on SOLIDWORKS.”When asked how it helps students interested in engineering related careers, Culwell said, “SOLIDWORKS is a program software used a lot to do CAD.”  

The exam mainly focused on simple design skills like making parts, building assemblies, and understanding measurements. Students have to follow directions carefully and make sure their designs are accurate. Even small mistakes can lead to wrong answers. Kaylynn Ulrich, another student who took the certification, said, “The class is mostly about SOLIDWORKS and getting different dimensions in CAD right.” When asked what they did in class, Ulrich said, “We’re usually all working on computers alone or together working on parts.” Ulrich also said, “The certification test is to see if you can properly use SOLIDWORKS.” 

The CSWA exam was a good way for students to show their skills. Even though it was tough at times, many students liked being part of the class. It helped build confidence and gave them knowledge that was useful. For a lot of students, the certification was about putting in the effort and understanding core skills.