Topic: AutoCAD Certification

[Guest]

Has anyone taken any of the AutoCAD Certification exams?  At $150 a pop, are they worth it?

[David Hall]

in A WORD, No

[David Hall]

But I guess I should clarify that.  I have taken the certification exams from Autodesk to be a Trainer and Reseller.  Autodesk requires their VARs to be certified for support purposes.

[Josh Nieman]

I took the Inventor Certified Expert test because when I queried Autodesk about it, they had no place set up near me to do it, so I guess since they got with Hagerman, St Louis to set it up they gave it to me for free... for some reason... I don't know.

I ended up failing it by a couple questions, because I went in cocky, got tired of taking a test that had me going for hours and was so boring... I left before I finished checking all my answers, and made some stupid mistakes. 

After investigation to what it actually gives you... I decided it wasn't worth paying for.

I mean seriously what do you get?  Your name on a page of the Autodesk website that no one knows about?  A line on your resume that most employers really wouldn't know what to make of?  I'm curious if anyone's ever gotten any benefit from it (other than linking the adesk page on a forum to flex your e-muscle)

[pmvliet]

It's also a relatively new concept in the Autodesk world from what I have gathered.
You can take the practice exam for something like $18 and will give you a good idea on how you do on the main exam.

According to Matt Murphy, it is really catching on in Asia and other countries other then the United States
for some reason and is a requirement for employment in some places over there.

I've been toying with the idea of taking it. Supposedly the test for 2008 are revamped and harder.

Pieter

[David Hall]

I would think that the requirement over in Asia and India would be so they can do work for companies over here

[sinc]

I think anyone who has fought through C3D is probably certifiable without needing to take the exam...  unless, of course, a good score on the exam gets you a room by yourself when they throw you in the nuthouse...   :ugly:

[Big G]

I think anyone who has fought through C3D is probably certifiable without needing to take the exam... 

    how true....


been fighting with it for the last 3 weeks now!!!!

[Dinosaur]

I think anyone who has fought through C3D is probably certifiable without needing to take the exam... 

    how true....


been fighting with it for the last 3 weeks now!!!!

3 WEEKS?  Try 3 YEARS . . . and starting with the 2005 version besides.
That's all, gotta go before lights out at "the home" . . . oops too late, here they come now . . . NO! not the jacket, PLEASE . . .

[Bethrine]

This may be interesting and I was going to ask about it myself but it seems applicable here?

http://www.adda.org/content/view/25/39/

[mjfarrell]

Considering that controlling ones 3D Orbit is a skill required for said certificate; I truly question its validity, or effectiveness.
As I recall from previous 'certification' exams they often contained wrong or misleading answer/question combinations.
Although it was often satisfying to spend 4 hours and $100, for a piece of paper.   


Now that should get one 'certified' for sure!

[pmvliet]

http://www.adda.org/content/view/25/39/

That is interesting. Never seen that one before.

I believe this was started with the AutoDesk certification in mind??

Either way, it all boils down to what does it do for the holder of the certificate?
At this time, it doesn't seem like much, but in a few years that may change???

Pieter

[sinc]

Either way, it all boils down to what does it do for the holder of the certificate?
At this time, it doesn't seem like much, but in a few years that may change???

Pieter

Well, according to that web site, it "shows initiative and pride in the profession by becoming certified".

And of course they make $95.

[Josh Nieman]

That ADDA thing is crap.

Their sample questions show an extreme bias to a particular field and the questions are so variable if you think about whether you're drawing electrical, piping, structural, architectural, mechanicalHVAC, mech.Machine parts...etc...

lame.

[sinc]

Interviewee:  "Yeah, I have my ADDA certification."

Interviewer:  "But we really want a CAD person...  I don't see how dentistry would help..."

 

[Josh Nieman]

Interviewee:  "Yeah, I have my ADDA certification."

Interviewer:  "But we really want a CAD person...  I don't see how dentistry would help..."

 

"erm... do you draw teeth?"

 

[Bethrine]

Interviewee:  "Yeah, I have my ADDA certification."

Interviewer:  "But we really want a CAD person...  I don't see how dentistry would help..."

 

  

[Krushert]

http://www.adda.org/content/view/25/39/

That is interesting. Never seen that one before.

I believe this was started with the AutoDesk certification in mind??

Either way, it all boils down to what does it do for the holder of the certificate?
At this time, it doesn't seem like much, but in a few years that may change???

Pieter

And that my friend is the million dollar question.
The piece of paper tells the employer that your knowledge can be compared to a benchmark.  IF that benchmark applies to line of work great if not then comes down to opinion.  If any thing it makes their life easier during the interviews.  But that is far as it goes.  It tells them you know something but what is does not tell them is if you can apply that knowledge.  I know an individual that is very book smart, has every piece of cert imaginable but he can not get that information out of his head and to his hands.  (a very long scary story to back that up but I will not talk about that know.)   I had an AWS (American Welding Society) certification for unlimited position, unlimited size for stick welding.  Every prospective employer that I interviewed with said "Yeah that nice but still have to take our test."   

My opinion is that certs matter only to banks, insurance companies and lawyers for liability reasons..

[Kate M]

Interviewee:  "Yeah, I have my ADDA certification."

Interviewer:  "But we really want a CAD person...  I don't see how dentistry would help..."

 

"erm... do you draw teeth?"

 

<groan>

[mjfarrell]

After taking the test(s) for Civil 3D at AU; and a little research here: http://autodesk.starttest.com/
I offer this.

It is suprising how few people in the US are certified.  The number shown for either the professional, or associate level is telling.  Without violating the test agreement I can see why.  There are a few instances where the most correct answer are not offered, and the best answer isn't the correct one.  At least for test taking purposes.
Also there is at least two questions on the professional level that one could easily 'over think' the solution and
get the wrong value quite easily.  (trust me, I did on the first pass through)

As the number of users is fairly small I could see where this 'certification' could at least get one an interview.
The rest would still be up to you.  Of note, if I recall there is also an option to opt out of being shown in the searchable database.  This sounds like an area where the certificate loses it's value should there be a large number of these ghost riders.

[jaberwok]

...  this 'certification' could at least get one an interview.

I've long thought this was the main value of most qualifications.