Autodesk has provided its software and technology free to more than 150m students and educators worldwide, the company has announced
For more than a decade, Autodesk has made its professional-grade tools available at no cost to accredited institutions and verified students and educators, giving them access to the same technology used by architects, engineers, manufacturers and creators worldwide.
Bridging the skills gap in an AI-powered future
As the global workforce changes faster than educators can keep up, access to the latest technology for students is critical.
Autodesk’s State of Design & Make report found that 58% of professionals cite a lack of skilled talent as a barrier to growth, while 61% say it’s getting harder to find new hires with the right technical skills.
Meanwhile, AI is continuing to surface in today’s jobs, with demand for AI skills in job listings surging by more than 640% since 2022, according to Autodesk’s recent AI Jobs Report.
Students feel the urgency, too. Nearly half of college students don’t believe they’re learning the AI skills they’ll need to succeed after graduation.
Autodesk works to connect students across secondary, trade schools, community colleges and universities to the technology, real-world projects, and career opportunities.
“With technology advancing faster than education can keep pace, it’s crucial that industry leaders like Autodesk help equip STEM students and educators with the right tools at every stage of learning,” said Mary Hope McQuiston, vice-president of education at Autodesk.
“It often starts with Tinkercad, where students first learn to imagine and create, and continues with professional-grade tools that prepare them for real careers. Reaching 150m students and educators, and now expanding access to Flow Studio, shows what’s possible when learners can design, make and tell their story with the same technology the pros use.”
Autodesk has reached 100m Tinkercad users to date. The free, browser-based 3D design tool introduces young learners to creative problem-solving and STEM. For many, it’s the first step toward mastering professional tools like Fusion and Forma — connecting imagination in the classroom to innovation in the real world.
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