Hi everybody, I have a question for all of you.

I am a mechanical engineer with an MSME from Stanford in the Design Division. After working on the GM EV program for two years, I ended up moving to analysis when 2/3 of the engineers were thrown off the program because of downsizing. Long story short, I've been doing analysis ever since.

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of things about analysis that are interesting, but I'd really like to move into a position that is more balanced, has some design, some analysis, maybe some manufacturing.

The positions I'm seeing advertised usually require CAD experience, either Solidworks or ProE. I don't have that because in the automotive industry, engineers don't do the CAD work themselves, designers/drafters do that.

So how can I learn Solidworks, in a way that I can afford, and just as importantly, in a way that employers will believe it has value? In my experience, employers either want, preferably, experience in a job using the software, or, a poor second best, a college level course in that software. And I haven't been able to find any community college classes on Solidworks or ProE.

Any brilliant suggestions? I'm going to contact the resellers and see if I can afford a copy, but I doubt it. And if I can, I have doubts that an employer would believe that I had learned it on my own. Or is this only automotive industry that has this attitude?

Any suggestions would be most gratefully received!