Key details
Comprehensive Autodesk Inventor training for newcomers, teaching how to create production-ready parts and assemblies.
In-class or online
This course is available in-class at eight centres or live online.
Upcoming course dates
View all course dates and book
Who should attend?
This course is aimed at designers and engineers who want to start using Inventor.
Accredited Inventor training
Armada is an Autodesk Authorised Training Centre (ATC), and our Inventor training courses are accredited by Autodesk.
Inventor courses are hosted by Autodesk Certified Instructors, with vast experience of using the application professionally. For further details, see Expert trainers.
How will I learn?
Inventor training is hands-on and practical.
Our trainers teach the necessary theory then demonstrate techniques step-by-step. You then practice the techniques taught on a computer running Inventor.
There is plenty of time to ask questions, and you can take away all the files you create.
Inventor training guide and certificate
Course delegates receive:
- A highly-practical training guide for Inventor, to refer to throughout the course, and to use as a refresher afterwards.
- An e-certificate confirming successful completion of an accredited Inventor training course. Click here to see an example of the certificate you receive.
Inventor certification exams
When you attend Inventor training, you’re not assessed and there is no exam to sit. We teach you practical skills you can use in the real world, not prepare you to sit a test.
If you want to gain an industry-recognised credential in Inventor, we offer an Autodesk certification exam that you can sit on a future date.
Exams are sat online, from your place of work or home. For further details, see Certification exam.
After course support
Following Inventor training, delegates are entitled to 30 days’ email support from their Inventor trainer to help with any post-course issues. For further details, see Support.
Prerequisites
Delegates should have a good working knowledge of Windows. Experience using an Autodesk application, such as AutoCAD or Revit, is beneficial but not essential. No prior 3D modelling experience is necessary.
Inventor version
Training is based primarily on Inventor 2026. It is relevant to users of Inventor 2020 and later.
Our guarantees to you
We offer:
On-request Inventor training available
Inventor Essentials training is also available on-request, i.e. one-to-one training or a ‘closed course’ for your group, hosted at one of our centres, your venue or online.
On-request Inventor training can be tailored to take into account any existing knowledge you have, and the work you’re going to be doing. Please contact us for a quote.
Expert trainers
Inventor Essentials training courses are hosted by:
Carl Portman
Carl Portman has been an Autodesk-accredited instructor for 25 years, a College Lecturer (City and Guilds 3D modelling) for 15 years and a CAD consultant for 35 years.
Carl’s background is in engineering. He has vast design experience in a wide range of industries, including automotive, aerospace and medical, and he continues to carry out project work for a range of clients. Projects that Carl has completed include designing complete car plants for Jaguar Land Rover.
Carl has expert knowledge of:
- A wide range of 3D design applications used in engineering, including AutoCAD, Alias, Fusion, Inventor and SolidWorks.
- Machining, CAM and CNC.
Away from work, Carl’s passion is motorsport, and until recently he raced motorbikes. He knows Silverstone and Brands Hatch like the back of his hand, and he has the scars to prove it.
Andy Roe
Andy has worked in CAD for over 30 years in roles including Draughtsman, CAD System Manager, Project Manager and Design Engineer.
In recent years, Andy has focused on developing and delivering training courses. He is a long-established Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI), and he focuses primarily on Autodesk applications including AutoCAD, Inventor, Fusion, 3ds Max and Sketchbook, as well as Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks.
Andy continues to undertake project work to keep up-to-date with the latest technologies and practices. He specialises in modelling complex 3D designs from prototype to production, including the development of visuals and animations for a range of engineering projects.
Industries in which Andy has significant experience include aerospace, defence and automotive.
John Billyard
John has used CAD software for over 35 years, providing high quality engineering and architectural designs to a wide range of clients
He has provided training in the applications he uses for a similar length of time, and for the last 15 years, has been commissioned directly by Autodesk to provide consulting and training services to their corporate client base.
John hosts courses in various Autodesk applications including AutoCAD, Fusion, Inventor and Vault. He also trains Dassault Systèmes’ SolidWorks, Trimble SketchUp and Epic Games’ Twinmotion.
He takes pride in keeping pace with the latest industry design tools and technologies; enabling him to meet the challenges and demands of an ever changing working environment.
Live online training
Online training lets you participate in a live Inventor course from your place of work or home.
We do everything possible to make your online training experience as close as possible to actually being in the classroom. You can:
- See and hear our trainer, and the other delegates participating in the course…
- Watch our trainer demonstrate techniques in Inventor.
- Interact by speaking, or using chat.
- Share your screen with our trainer, and allow them to take control to explain something.
Like our in-class courses, online Inventor Essentials courses…
- Are presented by Autodesk Certified Instructors.
- Give you plenty of opportunity to carry out assisted, practical exercises using Inventor.
- Offer 30 days’ email support from your trainer.
All you need is an Internet-connected computer with…
- Inventor installed. If you don’t have a current subscription to Inventor, you’re entitled to a 30-day trial that’s ideal for participating in training. We’ll send you a link to this. If you’ve already used your trial, we can lend you a license for the duration of your course.
- A webcam and audio capability. If your computer running Inventor doesn’t have these, you can use a second device, such as another computer or tablet. See Hardware recommendations for live online training for further details.
If there’s anything you’re not sure about we’ll do our best to help you. We won’t be able to assist with your Inventor installation, but we can provide details for Autodesk support who’ll be able to help you with this.
We provide everything else…
- Links to download the files, resources, etc. you’ll use in your course.
- A training guide. For most courses, you can choose from a printed copy that we post to you, or a PDF.
In the week before your course, we’ll send you an email containing everything you need to prepare for and participate in the training. Then, a couple of days before your course, we’ll give you a courtesy call to make sure you have everything in place and answer any questions you may have.
Please note that we are not able to record scheduled online courses for privacy reasons.
When you attend live online training, you’re participating in a real course, hosted by a real trainer, in real time
Discounts and bundles
To make your Inventor training as affordable as possible, we offer:
Inventor CAM training bundle
Book:
for £995 + VAT (classroom-based) or £895 + VAT (live online training), saving £95 + VAT in both cases.
The bundle price will be applied automatically when you add these two courses to your basket.
Training discounts
Multiple places
If you book multiple places on any courses, we can offer you:
- 5% discount if you book two places.
- 10% discount if you book three places.
- 15% discount if you book four places.
- 20% discount if you book five or more places.
This can be for several people attending one course, one person attending several courses, or a combination.
These discounts are available for both classroom-based courses and live online training.
Concessions
We offer a 10% discount on scheduled Inventor course places to:
- Students, teachers and lecturers.
- People who work for a registered charity.
- ISTC members.
These discounts are available for both classroom-based courses and remote training.
Please call us if you qualify for a discount. Evidence of your status that entitles you to a discount may be requested.
Terms and exclusions
Only one of the above discounts can be applied to any booking.
The above discounts are not available for on-request course bookings (one-to-one training or a ‘closed course’ for your group).
Price guarantee
When you book training with Armada, we want you to be certain that you’re not paying over-the-odds. So, if you book a place on any scheduled (public) course and then find the same course at a lower price elsewhere, we will match that price.
To qualify for the price match:
- The course you find must be comparable. By this we mean it must:
- Cover the same subject.
- Be the same duration or longer.
- Hold the same accreditations as our course, i.e. it must be provided by an Autodesk Authorised Training Centre (ATC).
- For classroom-based courses, be in the same region, i.e. within 50 miles of our centre.
- For online training, be a live course, i.e. not pre-prepared e-learning content.
- The lower price must be advertised on the other company’s website.
To claim a price match, just call any time before attending your course and tell us where you saw the price.
Certification exam
Armada is an Autodesk Certification Centre offering exams that lead to industry-recognised qualifications. For Inventor, we offer an Autodesk Certified User (ACU) exam.
Whether you’re a student or a professional, achieving Inventor ACU status validates your skillset, providing enhanced credibility and accelerated professional development.
Successful candidates receive:
- An e-certificate (PDF) from Autodesk confirming your Inventor-certified status.
- An official Autodesk-Certified badge that you can use to market your skills, e.g. on your business cards, in your email signature, on your website, etc.
To read more about the benefits of achieving Autodesk-certified status in Inventor, read Lyndsay Mann’s blog What benefits does Autodesk certification bring?
Inventor ACU exam summary
- Entry level exam to validate your knowledge of fundamental concepts and procedures in Inventor.
- Qualification: Autodesk Certified User in Inventor.
- Sat online, from your place of work or home.
- Length of exam: 50 minutes.
- Recommended preparation: Attend Inventor Essentials training, and have 150 hours’ hands-on experience using Inventor.
- For further details, and for a list of the topics and features you’re likely to be tested in, see Inventor ACU exam guide.
Approach to online exam sittings
Exam sittings are monitored by a proctor from Armada.
All you need is a computer (Windows or Mac) with:
- A strong Internet connection (min. 10Mbps).
- Screen resolution at least 1200 x 800.
- Chrome browser.
- A webcam.
You don’t need to have Inventor installed – you’ll access Inventor on a virtual computer during your exam.
Practice test
A practice test is available that reflects the questions you’re likely to be asked in your Inventor ACU exam. The practice test is taken online, from your place of work or home. The test has two modes:
- Testing mode, which replicates your exam.
- Training mode, which provides step-by-step help on questions.
The practice test can be retaken up to 30 times in a one-year period. (You’re asked the same questions each time.)
Practice tests are available for installation on Windows computers running Inventor. For further details, see www.gmetrix.net/GetGMetrixSMS.aspx.
Practice tests can only be purchased from Armada along with an exam.
Prices
Inventor ACU exam: £150 + VAT.
Discounted price available to Armada training delegates: £100 + VAT.
Inventor ACU exam/practice test bundle: £200 + VAT.
Discounted price available to Armada training delegates: £150 + VAT.
Inventor ACU exam retake: £75 + VAT.
When can I take my Inventor exam?
You can take your exam in one of our regular Inventor exam sessions.
Dates of forthcoming Inventor exams: 20 Jun, 29 Aug.
Exam sittings usually take place in the afternoon, at 2pm. We confirm your exam time one week before your sitting.
Booking an exam and payment options
To book an exam, please email exams@armada.co.uk providing details of the exam you’d like to sit, or call 01527 834783.
Payment for ACU exams can be made by bank transfer or card.
We accept purchase orders from UK-registered companies and public sector organisations.
Q and A
- What version of Inventor am I tested on?
You can choose to be tested on the 2023, 2024 or 2025 application version.
- What is the pass mark for Inventor ACU certification exams?
You will be notified of the pass mark prior to your exam starting.
- When do I find out if I’ve passed?
Immediately, when you complete your exam. Your result is displayed on-screen.
- What happens if I do not pass?
You will receive a diagnostic score report that indicates areas for improvement. You may then retake the examination as needed. Should you need to retake an exam, simply re-book. Discounted prices are available for retakes.
- Who can I contact if I have more questions?
Email any questions you have to exams@armada.co.uk.
See also…
Exam Ts & Cs
See Exam Terms and conditions.
“In depth course, started with a bit of knowledge, felt like I left with more knowledge and more competent using Inventor. Would recommend. ”
Josh B
“Great course, Carl was very informative and helpful in regards to learning the software, as well as showing tips and tricks to make using the software easier. Would highly recommend.”
Kieran B
“I learned more efficient ways to perform tasks at work as well as entirely new skills within Inventor. John and the course content were great.”
Jack B
“The instructor was very informative and was very friendly. All the content was well explained!”
Elias R
“Had a wonderful time learning a new software. John was really helpful and kind in training us.”
Roopini R
“The instructor, Carl, was amazing, his experience as a designer and user of CAD came through in his teaching, not showing just the software but how to use it properly. ”
Andrew J
“Big thank you to Carl, he is a great teacher and I think this course has set me up well to work with Inventor.”
Oliver B
“I have competency with Solidworks as this is the software which I use at university. This Inventor course has been particularly helpful to transfer that knowledge and show the different methods between the softwares.”
Kieran H
“The training was top class and extremely engaging and professional. I am now looking to book further courses for our organisation.”
Matt B
“The course was excellent, Carl is very clear and knowledgeable. He makes you feel very comfortable to ask for help, advice and general work related conversation.”
Jordan Wilshire
“I had a fantastic three days with your instructor, Andy. He is a great, personable teacher who takes extra careful time to explain in detail and has an unequivocal depth of knowledge of Inventor.”
James C
“Andy is a great tutor. Keep the sessions interactive and is full of energy. Always answers queries and ensure everyone is going at the same pace regardless of experience. If anyone in the class is working at a slower rate he will always assist/support them and move the session on together with everyone. 10/10 would definitely recommend the course. ”
Yusuf M
“I'm very happy with how the course was conducted. Our instructor, John, also did a fantastic job.”
Ben H
“Brilliant course. Andy is always a very helpful, patient and knowledgeable instructor. Really enjoyed getting to know this software that I haven't touched before. Pacing felt right also.”
Dan E
“A very enjoyable course, with a great atmosphere and training facility.”
Simon M
“Extremely good course and the trainer was very informative and helpful. I managed to achieve everything set out in this course. I will be attending the intermediate version of this course in the near future.”
Mark M
“I had no experience whatsoever of the software prior to the course, so the first day was a lot to take in! I felt more comfortable on day 2 and feel like I left with a much better understanding of the principles of how inventor works. John was a brilliant teacher and was very patient with my questions throughout the course!”
Scott K
“Amazing course,. I can't wait to put my new skills into practice!”
James W
“Fantastic course much learned from a very knowledgeable instructor - old school information was much appreciated. Thank you Carl.”
Robert T
“Very insightful course, the trainer, Carl came across very knowledgeable of not only the software but engineering as a whole. Course was engaging throughout and all problems were dealt with easily by Carl.”
Lewis D
“Excellent trainer, good course content. ”
Emma B
“Very good course. Learned a lot of new features and will be able to use them at work.”
Kaspars K
“Great course. Covered a good range of functions but at a comfortable speed. ”
Samantha C
“This was my first time doing an online course and it was very enjoyable and the learning experience was great. ”
Jake D
“Carl was a great instructor and the lessons were very helpful and informative.”
Lewis K
“Great course and even better instructor, Carl really knows his stuff :)”
Isaac L
“Great course covering lots of important aspects of Inventor, Andy the instructor has a vast knowledge of the product and was able to teach the contents thoroughly and answer any questions asked immediately with great detail.”
Joseph B
“Course was ran well, the instructor was helpful and friendly. I enjoyed the course and what I was taught.”
Kamil R
“The course was very useful, very informative and easy to follow.”
Bob Y
“I found the course excellent and improved my skills massively.”
Ben H
“I found the course excellent and improved my skills massively.”
Ben H
“Very informative, excellent Instructor”
Marcus D
“Excellent course, well delivered. Plenty of extra content to keep me entertained and constantly learning. Would definitely recommend. ”
Jason H
“Brilliant course and instructor who did a very good job of navigating the subject matter.”
Ben D
“Excellent, learned lots and enjoyed the course immensely.”
Brian F
“Really enjoyed doing this course, Carl is a lovely bloke and explained things in a very good way.”
Danielle C
“Excellent, well paced introduction to inventor”
Alistair C
“I trained remotely from my home and was very impressed with how seamless the training was. I will definitely look to employ this practice again for future learning. Carl was a good trainer and a lot of his experiences resonated with me and my team.”
Robert D
“Absolutely brilliant 3-day course, thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a lot of new things. I was taught how to improve my workflow through design decisions. I highly recommend it!”
Adam S
“Excellent instructor, very patient and clearly explained. Thank you.”
Paddy W
“Thanks Carl , you have great patience. You're great.”
Tom L
“Carl Portman conducted the course in a professional and easy to follow manner. He was really informative, happy to work at my pace and answered every question I asked. I have left feeling more confident and ready to tackle the new challenges I face. ”
Henry L
“Really enjoyed the course. Was a complete novice, Carl has shown me lots, that I can already see how to apply at work.”
Nick A
“Very informative teacher, patient and pushes the students to learn over the required functions. Thanks Carl”
Tony O
“Enjoyed the course, knowledgeable instructor and look forward to using my new skills. ”
Gordon C
“Great Course, good group, pace correct for learning.”
Kevin R
“Very worthwhile 3 days. Thank you very much!!!!”
Craig W
“Completed the Inventor Essentials course recently. Andy, our tutor, was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Excellent facilities as well, would definitely recommend Armada for Inventor training.”
Stephen C
“Well presented course, with material delivered at a good pace for those new to the software. ”
Wreford S
“Course instructor was extremely knowledgeable and very helpful throughout. Course ran very smoothly and at a good pace. ”
Andrew M
“Very informative course with knowledgable tutor.”
Tom M
“Good instructor, plenty of time for the students - well structured course.”
Darren H
“Very good course, helpful and knowledgeable tutor, many thanks. ”
Stephen C
“Good instructor, plenty of time for the students - well structured course.”
Darren H
“Instructor very knowledgeable and helpful. Online version of course worked surprisingly well!”
Steven VD
“Very good course, lots of good information to take away”
Lee B
“Really Enjoyed the course, it was well presented and very easy to follow. Instructor Andy was First rate.”
Patrick F
“Course instructor was extremely knowledgeable and very helpful throughout. Course ran very smoothly and at a good pace. ”
Andrew M
“Very impressed with the course and training instructor along with the company providing the course.”
James T
“I very much enjoyed the course, the instructor was friendly and clear. Very informative and always happy to answer questions. Many thanks”
John H
“Carl was a very patient and extremely knowledgeable instructor. He has lots of experience and makes you think of not only how to use software but to actually understand the concept of engineering design. Highly recommended!”
Victor A
“This is our second session of training. First time we had ball mice which I commented on. This time we had laser mice. I don't know if this is a coincidence. Either way I'm very happy.
Andy was very approachable and happy to dive into other areas of Inventor which were not part of the course in order to give me and the rest of the trainees important information on how to use Inventor for a massive increase to company productivity. ”
Hugo W
“Great environment with a very knowledgeable/experienced instructor”
Alexander M
“Very good course , good instructor very nice way of teaching. I was able to learn everything that the instructor showed me.”
Flavius P
“Good course, well run.”
Gavin C
“Very enjoyable and engaging. Geoff is an excellent tutor.”
Richard B
“Fantastic course instructor and general experience of program. This program is very smooth to use and I'm excited about using it going forward.”
Sarah H
“Teacher was extremely good.”
Danny K
“Very inspirational training day.”
Orlando M
“Really useful and informative.”
Holly T
“Great teacher and a nice centre - convenient to B'ham too.”
Nicholas H
“Powerful technology, inspirational tutor. Looking forward to moving forward with Autodesk Inventor and hopefully into an exciting career.”
Adam K
“I enjoyed the course. I already had a fair bit of 3D cad knowledge having played around with the software beforehand. However I did discover the correct way to do a lot of things and increased my productivity on the software therefore I feel the overall experience was rewarding.”
Matthew M
“A very enjoyable and worthwhile course.”
James W
“The book is very useful. Training area/ hardware is great and for our small class we enjoyed the flexibility and opportunities to focus on certain area of our interest.”
Yi L
“A great insight into 3D using Inventor, I will be attending further courses using this software. Trainer was excellent, and allowed me to discuss my options and relate the software to my business. Really pleased.”
Peter H
“Excellent, good level of teaching, removed any mystery from using Inventor. Allowed a good range of topics to suit the specialisms of anybody in the room.”
Will J
“The instructor was very easy to get on with. Quickly earned respect and attention due to his vast knowledge and experience. His teachings were easy to follow and if I require further training in the future it be good to undertake it with Armada.”
Daniel L
“Will recommend the software to my workplace as it is so much more intuitive than our existing systems. Carl has been an excellent instructor and I would like to pass on my thanks to him. Very patient and good communicator and overall very helpful and friendly. Overall I would say a very worthwhile few days.”
Darren M
“Great course, learned a lot. Never used it before this course.”
Michael I
“Really good course and I will definitely take away a lot of new skills with me. Thanks.”
Grace C
“Fantastic training course, very well presented.”
Richard K
“Brilliant Course! Carl was very patient and encouraging during the course. Will definitely be recommending the course to other colleagues. Thank you!”
Rebecca T
“The experience was more than useful. Hopefully I will be able to carry this new skillset forward into my work environment.”
Lee M
“The inventor training course was extremely beneficial to myself and others who participated in it :) Although I don't work directly with this software, it is a great way of me understanding the software and in the future I now have the foundation to start working with the programme.”
Rheace J
“Great Trainer and would recommend to other people who would like Autodesk training.”
Suraaj S
“Good course with great methods of best practice.”
James G
“This was an excellent course taught by an excellent instructor. He had lots of useful insights into using the program effectively.”
Philip B
Inventor Essentials training
