SAN RAFAEL, Calif., April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK) today announced that its online Student Engineering and Design Community was recognized as the best post-secondary instruction solution at the Software and Information Industry Association's (SIIA) annual CODiE Awards Gala in San Francisco last night. CODiE recipients are chosen by their peers for outstanding achievement and vision in the industry.

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The Autodesk Student Engineering and Design community has grown to more than 75,419 student and educators from more than 82 countries since its launch in September 2006. Designed to give students access to the tools they need to prepare for careers in architecture, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial design, and gaming and animation, the global online community offers free* downloads of Autodesk design software such as Autodesk Inventor Professional, AutoCAD Civil 3D, and Revit Architecture. New 2008 versions of these products will be available for download through the community site in early May.

The online community was designed to reflect trends in education such as use of social networking and technology, and addresses growing demand for collaborative learning opportunities. Students can use the site to search for jobs and internships, discuss projects and share work, keep up on the latest industry news, participate in online tutorials, and learn from educators and experts from around the world.

Educators who join the online community also have unrestricted access to the software, curriculum, and resources they need to inspire the next generation of professionals; and have the opportunity to network with educators from around the world, sharing course ideas and best practices. College-level students and educators can experience the benefits of the Autodesk Student Engineering and Design Community today by registering at www.students.autodesk.com.

"We are honored to accept this award from the SIIA and thrilled that our Student Community has been so popular with college students and educators throughout the world," said Paul Mailhot, senior director of worldwide education programs for Autodesk. "In response to the worldwide shortage of engineers, Autodesk is committed to supporting students with the resources they need to pursue visionary careers, including the tools they are likely to use in their first job out of college."

A recent study by the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering found that less than ten percent of high school graduates pursue undergraduate degrees in engineering, and only about half of those students end up earning engineering degrees. Autodesk is working to inspire more students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

Initiatives such as Autodesk's Student Design and Engineering Community are making an impact, as students around the world turn to the site to better prepare for the future. Shawn Conwell from Ohio State University's Knowlton School of Architecture said, "I know architecture firms are looking for graduates who know Revit, the 3D building information modeling software tool from Autodesk. I think it's great that Autodesk is helping struggling college students have access to the tools we need to compete for today's jobs."

Pravinsinh Solanki, a student from the National Institute of Design in India, believes the online community "will make all our dreams come true," and visits the site frequently to search for jobs, inspiration and knowledge.

About Autodesk Education

Autodesk supports worldwide academic achievement and lifelong learning by providing 2D and 3D solutions for teaching and learning design in the fields of manufacturing, industrial design, architecture, construction, civil engineering and media and entertainment. Autodesk is committed to helping the next generation of engineers, architects and designers experience their ideas before they are real by making state-of-the-art digital prototyping solutions available inside and outside of the classroom through substantial discounts, subscriptions, grant programs, training, curricula development and community resources. For more information about Autodesk's education programs and solutions, visit www.autodesk.com/education .

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc. is the world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk has developed the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art digital prototyping solutions to help customers experience their ideas before they are real. Fortune 1000 companies rely on Autodesk for the tools to visualize, simulate and analyze real-world performance early in the design process to save time and money, enhance quality and foster innovation. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com .

*Free products are subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement that accompanies download of the software.

NOTE: Autodesk, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Civil 3D, Inventor and Revit are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

Contact: JulieAnna Little, 503-471-6807
Email: julieanna.little@edelman.com



SOURCE Autodesk, Inc.
04/18/2007


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8734 04/18/2007 08:30 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com