All about Civil 3D certification exam
The Autodesk Civil 3D certification exam validates your skills in civil engineering design and documentation using Civil 3D. If you are not an experienced…
The Autodesk Civil 3D certification exam validates your skills in civil engineering design and documentation using Civil 3D.
If you are not an experienced person with years of experience on several different projects, then certification is the key thing that you should get.
As a fresher certification helps employers see that you have the right skills and you have cleared the official Autodesk certification exam.
This instantly puts you above other candidates who don’t have the certification.
Essentially, if you are certified, then your chances of getting a call for interview will be much higher than a candidate who is not.
Certified User vs. Certified Professional Certified User (ACU):
Certified User exam is an entry-level exam and it is meant for novices or students.
It covers fundamental topics that I have mentioned later in this article.
The Certified Professional (ACP) credential is intended for seasoned users with 400–1200 hours of real-world experience.
This is the industry-recognized certification that you should go for if you are a seasoned individual with at least 1 year of experience.
The Certified Professional exam should be the primary goal for the majority of professionals.
What is the structure of the exam?
The Civil 3D certification exam usually consists of forty five to sixty questions and it lasts 120 minutes.
Questions are of different types like multiple choice matching, image, hotspot and short answer type questions.
Now here is the most important part.
You won’t get access to Civil 3D software during the exam, so you have to recall everything from memory.
And that’s the reason why hands on experience with Civil 3D software becomes very important.
Because when you have worked with the software, you know the interface, tools and commands.
So, you can answer questions even if you don’t have the software.
About the certification exam
The exam is Proctor monitored, and it’s primarily in English.
But you can appear for exam in different languages based on the region from where you are giving this exam.
In most of the regions the exam is online but in some regions the exam can be offline as well and you can attend an examination center to give your certification exam.
In case the exam is online, you need good Internet, connection, a webcam and a microphone to attend the exam.
Throughout the exam duration a Proctor will monitor you through the webcam.
You can book the voucher for certification exam from certiport and also from Autodesk official website.
Currently, the price of this exam ranges anywhere from $100 to $200.
But this price varies from region to region and you should check the local pricing.
Key topics and syllabus of the exam
Autodesk Civil 3D Certification exam assesses your proficiency in several core areas of the software as outlined in official Autodesk guideline.
The main topics include alignments, profiles and sections, surfaces and grading, pipe networks, survey data, corridors and data management.
Here is a table outlining with the key skills that are assessed in the certification exam.
Exam topic | Weightage in % | Key skill assessed |
|---|---|---|
Alignments, Profiles, Sections | 21 | Creating, modifying, and labeling alignments; working with profiles; managing sections |
Surfaces and Grading | 20 | Creating and analyzing surfaces; applying grading tools; manipulating surface data |
Pipe and Pressure Networks | 12 | Designing, editing, and labeling pipe networks and pressure networks |
Data Management & Collaboration | 19 | Managing project data, coordinate systems, and collaborating using Civil 3D tools |
Points, Parcels, and Survey Data | 12 | Importing, creating, and managing points and parcels; handling survey data |
Corridors | 16 | Creating, editing, and managing corridors, assemblies, and corridor surfaces |
Here is the detailed syllabus of Civil 3D certification exam from Autodesk.
How to prepare for the exam
The best way to prepare for Civil 3D certification exam is with hands on practice.
So, after you are done learning the basics of Civil 3D, you should practice with as many projects as you can.
And to make it possible, we have created a learning path where you can start from a very basic Civil 3D course and then gradually you’ll move to the advanced level.
After that you’ll work with several projects making real life stuff using Civil 3D.
At the end of that learning path, we have also added a certification exam prep course where you will practice with nearly 100 practice questions that are identical to the real certification exam.
There is also a mock exam at the end of that course and you can appear in that exam to check how you might perform in the real exam without the fear of failing.
Check the complete learning path of Civil 3D certification exam here.
Results and certificate
After the exam is over, your result with detailed assessment is generated instantly.
If you pass the exam, you will receive the certificate instantly on your email and if you fail the exam you will receive a detailed breakdown of the areas where you need to improve any areas where you worked well.
If you fail the exam in your first attempt, you can retake it after 24 hours.
After the second failed attempt, there is a 14 day waiting but you can take this exam only up to three times within a 12 month period for the same version of software.
If you clear the exam, you’ll receive a certificate which will remain valid for three years, and after three years you can retake the exam to renew your certificate.
FAQ’s
Here are some frequently asked questions realted to Civil 3D certification exam
What’s the passing score for Civil 3D certification exam?
The passing score for Civil 3D certification exam typically hovers around 70%, but it varies slightly depending on the software version.
Is the exam in person or online?
The exam has largely moved online, but there are some regions where in person exam is also available in a testing center.
If there is a certiport authorized testing center near you then you can go for the in person exam and if there are none then just go for online exam.
How soon will I get my exam results and certificate?
The exam result with detailed breakdown of weak and strong areas as well as the certificate is available immediately after the exam.
What will happen if I fail the exam?
If you fail the exam, you can retake it within 24 hours, and you can take it once again if you fail the retake.
But there is a gap of 14 day in subsequent retakes.
In total, you can attempt the exam three times within a 12 month period.
Is this certificate recognized globally or is it region specific?
The certification from Autodesk is recognized globally and it’s not restricted by region.
Employers can verify your certification credentials online using Credly Acclaim or from Autodesk website.
Where can I show this certification?
You can show this certification on your resumes also on the Linkedin profile.
After clearing the exam you can also mention yourself as a certified Civil 3D professional in your online or offline profiles.
Summary
Civil 3D certification exam has moved largely online and you don’t get access to software.
So your best bet is practice, practice, practice.
Practice with as many projects as you can and get a really good hands on experience with the software.
Once you do appear for the exam and you should be able to clear it in your very first attempt.
And if you want a clear road map for clearning the Civil 3D certification exam in the first attempt then follow the learning path mentioned in this article.