Ivy Tech Community College and Autodesk, a worldwide leader for computer-aided design software, have collaborated to develop the first ever Fusion 360™ certification.

The Design Technology program at Ivy Tech Indianapolis was chosen as the only school in the world to help Autodesk update, change, and develop their certification for the Fusion 360 software, as well as determine how they assess the certification. After a three-month process of meetings and evaluations behind the scenes with Autodesk and Certiport directly, the certification was rolled out this month to Ivy Tech students and faculty.

“Having the opportunity for our faculty, students, and local industry to give feedback about how certifications are viewed and utilized and how they could be changed to better reflect students’ knowledge of software was a great opportunity for our program and college,” said Jason Roth, program chair for Design Technology at Ivy Tech Indianapolis.

Fusion 360 is a cloud-based 3D CAD/CAM tool for product development that combines industrial and mechanical design, collaboration, and machining in a single package. Fusion 360 enables fast and easy exploration of design ideas with an integrated concept-to-production platform.

“It was an honor to be a part of the certification pilot project with Autodesk. It means a lot to us that they value the expertise of our faculty, and appreciate the input from our students. We are excited about continuing to partner with them on this project, and others in the future as well,” said James Hamilton, associate professor for Design Technology at Ivy Tech Indianapolis.

The two institutions signed an official declaration of partnership in a formal ceremony on the Indianapolis campus this March. The partnership agreement is a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that expands a framework of cooperation between Ivy Tech and Autodesk. It supports students, educational programs and activities related to Autodesk’s software and services. Students have opportunities to join Autodesk, including their Catalyst program, which allows them to compete in worldwide competitions.

Autodesk software has been used in Ivy Tech’s Design Technology program for years, allowing students to use state-of-the-art technology to advance in the architectural and manufacturing industries.