If you already have some prior experience and qualifications with Autodesk and are looking for an avenue to further enhance your skills with the platform. Becoming an Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI) might be the perfect avenue for you to pursue.
Not only will adding this certification to your resume help further your knowledge of Autodesk, but it will also present plenty of learning experiences and unlock a host of career opportunities for you.
This certification is a great choice for those looking to transition into a top-tier role as an educator, and it’s also a highly sought-after qualification across a number of roles, demonstrating your competency with cutting-edge design software tools.
The aim of this article is to break down this AutoCAD certification, its use cases, and how you can go about attaining the impressive credentials if you feel like they are suitable next steps for the career path you envision yourself on in the near future.
Understanding ACI Certification
Becoming an Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI) signifies an array of competencies to potential employees. For starters, it’s a significant achievement that stands to the dedication necessary to achieve the qualification.
Of course, it also showcases your proficiency in Autodesk tools, as it takes a significant skill level to comprehend the course content and complete the practical tasks that are featured over the course of the training program.
Unlike many of the other Autodesk courses, the ACI certification also goes a step further in demonstrating your communication skills, as you will be able to guide others effectively in using the various tools on the platform.
They say that you don’t know something until you are able to teach it, and by becoming an Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI), you will be communicating to potential employers that you know the software inside and out.
It also places you among a cohort of experts who will have you shortlisted for any of the positions that you apply for and have your resume moved right up to the top of the pile of applications.
ACI certification offers over 30 programs covering various aspects of Autodesk products and concrete industry practices.
The number of professionals seeking the qualification speaks volumes of its credibility and the weight that it holds in ever-evolving industries.
In order to get your hands on the cert, you’ll need to become an affiliated instructor with a qualified learner partner of Autodesk.
It’s important to note that there's no skipping any steps along the way to attaining an ACI certification, as you must first become an Autodesk Certified Professional (ACP) in order to be eligible to enroll in the course.
Discover your path to success by finding a suitable AutoCAD certification that aligns with your career goals.
Jobs that require the Autodesk Certified Instructor certification
🧑💻 Technical Trainer
🖥️ CAD Manager
💼 Corporate Training Specialist
There are plenty of opportunities in education and training fields as it is highly sought after in the industry for roles across the various Autodesk Authorized Training Centers, Autodesk Authorized Academic Partners, and Autodesk Membership Training Providers.
Here, you’ll be able to pass on all of that product knowledge you’ve accumulated over the course of the programs that you’ve studied, leading courses in instructional settings.
To qualify as an ACI (ACI), you must be an Accredited Educator affiliated with a certified Educational Collaborator. This connection is vital as it guarantees your association with institutions that prioritize top-notch Autodesk education.
Technical Trainer
One of the opportunities that you would be able to explore with an Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI) certification under your belt is becoming a technical trainer.
This role is highly sought after among those who earn the certification and would involve conducting training sessions for individuals or groups on Autodesk software.
When it comes to securing employment in this area, having your ACI certification demonstrates that you have both the technical expertise and pedagogical skills needed to teach effectively.
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CAD Manager
It is also possible to venture into becoming a CAD manager after you’ve successfully made it out the other end of your course and have added the sought-after credential to your resume.
This role would involve overseeing the use of CAD software within an organization and training staff on best practice techniques and methods that you’ve picked up along your journey.
In this case, the certification will add a sense of credibility to your service and enable you to be more effective as a trainer.
So, if you are considering pursuing an ACI certification as a suitable next step for your career development, then remember that it goes beyond being a badge of honour and speaks volumes about your professionalism within the Autodesk community.
This is evident from the employment prospects that come about after passing the associated exam.
The Autodesk Civil 3D Specialist (ACS) credential opens doors to numerous career opportunities in engineering and construction fields.
Corporate Training Specialist
Another opportunity that would be available to you once you get your hands on that certificate would be working as a corporate training specialist.
This involves developing and delivering training programs within a company to improve employees' skills in Autodesk applications.
If you are passionate about the tool and its application in the workplace, then this might be a perfect fit for you!
While this role doesn’t necessarily require you to have your ACI certification, you will most certainly be favored by those who don’t have the qualifications and have an easier time finding work in this area or even establishing your own education service.
Steps to Achieve ACI Certification
The steps to acquiring an ACI certification are a little longer than many of the other Autodesk certifications. For starters, becoming an Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI) involves following a process that involves showcasing your proficiency in Autodesk products and teaching skills effectively.
Before you get to the stage of enrolling in a course, you’ll need to make sure that you already have prior certification in AutoCAD under your belt. So, if you haven’t already completed a Certified User (ACU) or an Autodesk Certified Professional (ACP) training program, then you’re going to have to start with these widely recognized qualifications.
The next step after you have this would be to acquire some teaching experience by becoming an Affiliated Instructor with one of the accredited Autodesk Learning Partners mentioned earlier.
Only then is it time to make your application to become a certified instructor at Autodesk. You’ll need to fill out the form for approval and ensure that you meet all of the remaining requirements for approved instructors.
At this point in the process, it’s necessary to get your instructor ID from wherever learning partner you decide to learn from and set up a user profile on Autodesk Learning Central.
Now, unfortunately, it's anything but plain sailing from here, as the final hurdles that are involved in this process are some of the most difficult aspects involved in the pursuit of the certification.
This is because you’ll still have the ACI exam to get through, which will require you to finish classes on the Autodesk Learning Central portal, such as professional growth workshops and teaching techniques sessions.
Since 1983, ACI has administered exams to over 750,000 individuals, with more than 120,000 certifications currently maintained.
There is also a necessity to engage with Autodesk’s Training Evaluation System (TES), get feedback from any participants of the training sessions that you hosted, and uphold a passing rating so that you can finally complete your journey to becoming a qualified instructor.
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Preparing for the ACI Exam
📚 Study the Course Material
🧐 Practice Sample Assessments
👩🏫 Practice Teaching Classes
So, if you think that you’ve found your calling and are interested in becoming an Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI), then let’s take a look at how you can stack the odds in your favor and prepare for the exam that lies ahead of you. Conveniently, ACI provides study resources and tools to assist you in your preparation for the exam.
So, right off the bat, you’ll have access to a library of sample questions, study manuals, and case studies, along with some suggested readings that will help further your understanding of the examinable topics.
If you’re looking to supplement your learning with a mix of resources that will aid your preparation, then you should note that they can be obtained through ACI’s training institutions, which provide both in-person classes and remote learning opportunities.
One of the best ways that you can gauge how your preparation is going is to work through as many of the AC Institute’s practice questions and simulated exams as you can. This will ensure that you are familiar with the format of the exam and better able to manage your time across the assessment.
The results that you get back from your attempts will also tell you where you are at with your learning so that you are better able to target future development.
You’ll also become more familiar with the kinds of questions and the various components that feature across the exam so that nothing can shake you when the big day approaches.
As you can see, working to attain your Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI) cert is a more than worthwhile endeavor should it align with your respective career path!
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