Case Study: Laney College achieves over 90% machinist employment placement with SOLIDWORKS Education Edition

Providing machinist employment opportunities with solidworks education edition

Laney College in Oakland needed to add 3D CAD/CAM instruction and certification to its Machine Technology Program so students could meet local employer needs and improve machinist employment prospects. To address this, the college adopted SolidWorks Education Edition and integrated the Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate (CSWA) exam into its curriculum.

Using SolidWorks, Laney scaled its program (increasing licenses from 20 to 100 and later adding more), developed a 12‑week SOLIDWORKS course, and aligned training with industry needs; as a result, overall employment placement climbed from below 30% to over 90%, and students who pass the CSWA achieve nearly 100% placement, fueling a resurgence in local manufacturing.

Laney College

Elise Moss

Adjunct Professor