YEREVAN, Armenia — In September-October 2025, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Zaven P. and Sonia Akian College of Science and Engineering (ACSE) organized an extracurricular training course in SOLIDWORKS. The main goal of the course was to help participants build strong practical skills in computer-aided design and prepare them for the Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate (CSWA) certification exam.
The course was open to both current ACSE students and alumni. This format allowed participants with different levels of experience to work together, exchange ideas, and support each other throughout the learning process. The training focused on hands-on practice, covering essential tools and workflows used in engineering design. Students worked on real design tasks that reflected common industry challenges, helping them better understand how SOLIDWORKS is used in professional environments.
At the end of the course, all 18 participants successfully passed the certification exam and received official SOLIDWORKS certificates serving as clear proof of their ability to work with industry-standard design software and strengthen their professional profiles.
Reflecting on the course, Sargis Zeytunyan, AUA lecturer and director of ACSE’s Prototyping Laboratory, emphasized the importance of combining theory with practice: “We are proud to say that AUA is the only educational institution in Armenia that provided its students this opportunity. We are also proud that all the participants who took the course, received CSWA certificates. We want to thank EngineerX, the provider of the software, for their encouragement to start this initiative.”
Building on the positive results of this initiative, the College plans to organize a new training course in the upcoming academic term. The next course will focus on preparation for the Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional (CSWP) certification, which requires deeper knowledge and the ability to solve more complex design problems. Successful completion of this certification will demonstrate advanced proficiency in SOLIDWORKS and further prepare students for professional engineering roles.
Through such extracurricular programs, ACSE continues to support student learning by complementing academic coursework with practical training and internationally recognized certifications that are directly relevant to the engineering industry.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.