Dassault Systemes Extends PLM Skills Initiative with New Expert-Level Certification

CATIA Certification Program now provides champion users with valuable index for measuring and promoting their CATIA expertise

Paris, France and Seattle, USA - September 29, 2003 - Dassault Systèmes (Nasdaq: DASTY; Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the world’s leading developer of product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions, today announced that its Certified Professional Program (CPP) now provides two new exams to certify advanced levels of expertise in using the CATIA® V5 product development system.

The CPP provides customers and users with a valuable, internationally recognized index of CATIA user knowledge. It is also an important tool for service companies wishing to provide customers with official confirmation of the skills of their employees.

The new “expert” exams complement the existing “specialist” levels. They are designed to certify the skills of experienced users who employ the advanced functionalities of Dassault Systèmes PLM solutions. They typically qualify team champions who play an advisory or coaching role.

“The importance of team champions is growing as more and more companies implement CATIA V5,” said Philippe Forestier, executive vice president Alliances, Marketing, and Communications, Dassault Systèmes. “The “expert” certification level is a valuable instrument for companies wanting to structure efficient deployment teams and maximize the value of their CATIA V5 solution.”

“As a PLM service provider, it is of paramount importance for us to provide sound CATIA expertise to our customers,” said Yoshimaro Fujisawa, president of Argo Graphics Inc., Japan’s largest Dassault Systèmes Education Partner. “The Certified Professional Program provides this credibility. For that reason, I require all our engineers involved in PLM projects to take the exams.”

Dassault Systèmes conducted qualification testing to scientifically validate and calibrate the exams. Expert users in different countries tested the exams. Peer Gschwandtner, a senior expert from CENIT AG Systemhaus with more than five years experience with CATIA V5, participated in the exam testing. "The expert exams have been design with care and intelligence. I could not dream of a more credible way to certify true expertise. It will provide a lot of transparency and authenticity to companies seeking proven expertise,” said Gschwandtner.

The certification exams can be taken in more than 3,500 testing centers around the world. Details about the Certified Professional Program are available at https://plm.3ds.com/en/education.