Wow. Woooooow. This year, SOLIDWORKS WORLD and the Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional Exam (CSWP) turn 20. What’s that? You were at the first SOLIDWORKS WORLD in 1998? You ARE OLD–Old as the hills.
In 1998, I was at that first SOLIDWORKS WORLD (That was pre-SolidSmack… and pre-a whole lotta other stuff). I started using SolidWorks a couple years earlier (1996) when a lot of companies became more interested in exploring the third dimension. Seems like decades ago… because it was.
As Mike Puckett (friend, former blogger and now Senior Manager, World Wide Certification Program at SOLIDWORKS) recounts:
Way back in 1997, SOLIDWORKS wanted to create a way to verify the skills of its users, and a way to verify the quality of the training we were providing. So early in 1998 we launched the Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional (CSWP) Certification. While not the first certification we had developed, it was the first one that was available to our customers.”
It wasn’t until the year 2000 that I took the CSWP when I started working as an Applications Engineer for, SOLIDWORKS Reseller, MLC CAD Systems. Even though I went through certification for SOLIDWORKS Trainer and SOLIDWORKS Technical Support, the CSWP, as my final certification after a day-long exam, was the most memorable.
It’s 20 years now since the start of the CSWP and there are 16 certifications and over 46,000 certified SOLIDWORKS users on our small planet.
If you’re at SOLIDWORKS WORLD this year–well first, I would love to meet you if I haven’t–the CSWP team will be celebrating the exam with a special opportunity. Mike explains:
We’ll be debuting the new version of the CSWP exam at SOLIDWORKS World 2018 on Sunday, February 4th. We’ll be conducting testing as we normally do, but the only exam available that day will be the CSWP exam. What if you’re already a CSWP? There is nothing keeping you from taking it again! Your original CSWP and pass date will always remain, and IF you pass the newest one, you’ll simply have another CSWP added to your account with a newer date.
- For those who do pass, you will be awarded a special certificate signifying that you passed the 20th anniversary edition, and you’ll also receive a goodie bag of specially branded swag.
- You’ll also receive a voucher to take the CSWE exam, including all of the advanced topic exams at a future date.
20th Anniversary Edition CSWP? That’s all you. But they only have 240 testing spots available, so register quickly and prep yo’ head. And if you’re like I was 20 years ago, just starting off, running circles around 2D CAD users with your crazy SOLIDWORKS skills, don’t wait another two years to take it.
See you at SOLIDWORKS WORLD.
