Curtin Malaysia mechanical engineering students receive SolidWorks certification

Miri – 4 August 2021 – Six mechanical engineering students of Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) – Elias Chang, Ting Zhi Ming, Tang Kang Ning, Sandra Ting, Ting Mee You and Vincent Teo Chew Kuan – recently earned Certified SolidWorks Associate (CSWA) certification in Mechanical Design, proving their proficiency in computer-aided design (CAD) using SolidWorks CAD.

SolidWorks CAD is a mechanical design automation application by Dassault Systèmes that is widely used for computer aided engineering (CAE) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) in a wide range of industries. Over two million engineers and designers at more than 200,000 companies worldwide use this software for instant 3D design and modelling. At the initial stage, the software is used for planning, visual ideation, modelling, feasibility assessment, prototyping, and project management, and in later stages, for design and building of mechanical and mechatronics elements. An example of its latest application is in the fast-growing field of 3D printing or additive manufacturing.

Senior lecturer and head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Curtin Malaysia’s Faculty of Engineering and Science, Dr. Sukanta Roy, said that in today’s competitive job market, it is imperative for CAD professionals to be knowledgeable of and equipped with the latest engineering technology and skills.

Dr. Sukanta congratulated the six students on their achievement, saying it was a significant milestone for the Department of Mechanical Engineering and that the CSWA certification will be of great value to them when seeking jobs in the future. The certification was granted following a three-hour online exam administered by Dassault Systemes to assess the students’ SolidWorks knowledge and design skills.

“SolidWorks certification offers graduates a distinct advantage over their peers when it comes to CAD professional jobs in a variety of industries, including the design, aerospace, oil and gas, energy, automotive, marine, robotics, mechatronics and manufacturing industries,“ said Dr. Sukanta.

“SolidWorks certification is recognised worldwide, which means there are no geographical boundaries for graduates to explore their dream jobs. Their mechanical design skills are universally recognised, whether they want to work for their favourite automotive company in Germany or a mechanical engineering company in Singapore.”

In addition, Dr. Sukanta thanked industry partner IME Technology Sdn. Bhd. for providing the training and related webinars on software skills that enabled the students to achieve the certification.

On the same note, Dr. Sukanta said that Curtin Malaysia highly encourages its mechanical engineering students to obtain CSWA certification before graduation to enhance their employability. He added that the challenges of COVID-19 have not stopped the university from organising several online industrial training workshops and facilitating online learning videos and knowledge sharing sessions for the benefit of students.

Sandra Ting, one of the students, also thanked IME Technology Sdn. Bhd. and the university for the opportunity to obtain certification, saying, “I am thankful for the opportunity, and throughout the process, I found 3D CAD modelling to be really interesting and I could to use SolidWorks to create whatever model I wanted. I looked at all the things around me and imagined how a mechanical design engineer would model the different products.”

Ting Zhi Ming said, “While this certification recognises my 3D CAD modelling proficiency, the knowledge and skills I have gained will prove very useful when I create sample models and solve engineering design problems in my future career.”

Elias Chang, meanwhile, commented, “In my preparations to be a Certified SolidWorks Associate, I pushed myself to improve my knowledge and skills in SolidWorks, especially in modelling different types of 3D designs. The effort was well worth it and this certification will definitely help in future prospects.”

Curtin Malaysia offers Curtin’s four-year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Mechanical Engineering, which is highly directed towards developing fundamental knowledge and a generic skills base necessary for a wide range of career opportunities in the engineering industry, management and research and development.

The course maintains a balance between theoretical skills and practical experience with up-to-date facilities for demonstrating concepts and their applications. Instruction is by highly qualified teaching staff with both international academic experience and industry exposure and the Faculty of Engineering and Science’s strong connections with industry presents considerable opportunities for exposure to industry practice.

Dr. Sukanta Roy with the six CSWA certification recipients.