Posted to News on 18th Dec 2012, 16:02
Survey reveals the importance of accrediting CAD skills
Autodesk EMEA education and training distributor, KnowledgePoint, reveals over 70 per cent of CAD professionals believe IT certification will be required when applying for future jobs or they have already been asked to provide it, while a further 70 per cent felt it gave them individual advantage. The survey of 673 CAD professionals that attended Autodesk's Open Doors EMEA 2012 training event was designed to measure the importance of certification qualifications. Given that this year's event was the most successful in Autodesk's history, with over 6000 exams delivered, it was a good opportunity to survey industry professionals. The majority of respondents (62 per cent) worked across architecture, engineering and construction.
In light of the volatile jobs market, professionals are keener than ever to ensure they learn best practice to gain competitive advantage. In 2011, only 29 per cent of employers saw certification as a way to validate the knowledge of staff. However, this year, over half of respondents (55 per cent) noted their employer encouraged them to pursue IT certification schemes. The majority of respondents (60 per cent) felt that certification was important or very important to their career.
This year the Autodesk Open Doors EMEA 2012 event has proved even more popular. The survey found that the majority of candidates (58 per cent) were aged 29 or under, while 36 per cent were aged 30-50. Over half (62 per cent) of those attending the event had not taken any software exams before, despite 60 per cent of respondents noting they were already using the software for client work.
During Open Doors EMEA 2012, free exams were made available at all participating Autodesk Authorised Training Centres (ATCs) for CAD professionals seeking to accredit their skills. There were no limits on the number of exams that each individual could sit.
Kirstin Donoghue, Autodesk Partner Manager EMEA says: "The uptake of Autodesk exams has increased year on year. The survey findings show a continual increase in CAD professionals looking to accredit their skills. Both individuals and companies are starting to see the benefits of using further learning to enhance knowledge and increase competitive advantage."
For further information about Autodesk go to www.autodesk.com/, and to find out more about Autodesk EMEA training and education, follow the link to read about Knowledgepoint.
