I love Solidworks. Been using it for years. I have a need for the integrated FEA, though, which is why I haven't tried Inventor. I'm sure it's fine. Problem is, those are expensive! I have license to use them at home because of work.
However, most people don't have the money or luxury of the licensing. There are alternatives. I've used this one a bit, and I do really like the interface. Perhaps not as robust as some of the others, but if you are just starting out, it's really well equiped as a learning tool. Best part about it, if you can deal with the constant stream of email spam, is it's FREE!
CoCreate OneSpace