Today robotics is trending in a big way, but not just in industry and schools across the globe are making sure that students are well prepared for this huge wave of automation, robotics and technology coming in the very near future. Schools are not only teaching technology in the classrooms, but are organizing teams and having students compete in different robot competitions. These competitions help students learn and excel in science and math through teamwork and competition. Students learn real-world problem solving by building and programming a robot to compete against other robotics teams. Programs such as FIRST Robotics and FIRST Lego League help to propel students forward. They also support the schools underlying initiative called STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
It takes all kinds of community support
Professionals from many different walks of life have chosen to take on the challenge of coaching these after school teams to help young scientists and engineers further their skills. These robotics teams are very popular with the kids today. In fact, they are so popular that most schools don’t have enough teams or coaches to support the number of students that are interested. While Robotics is definitely mega-trending,, there is a shortage of adult leaders to coach and mentor these young scientists.
Remember why you became an engineer?
Coaching a team gives me such a great feeling of achievement that I cannot understand why anybody would not want to become a coach or support one of these teams in their own community. These young people are so eager to learn and grow, and technology comes to them so naturally. After all, they have been raised around technology their entire lives, so building and programming devices comes easily to them. I love helping these young engineers grow and thrive using technology. I also like being a role model. Because I have a career in robotics, you could say I have Rockstar status. When the team gets tired or frustrated, I’ll try to shift their focus away from the challenges and look at the bigger picture. I start telling stories about my experiences and what it’s like to work with robots. I show pictures and short videos about all the exciting things that robots can do. I love to see their eyes open wide when their brains start imagining the mechanical wonders that computers and mechanical devices can achieve. Dreaming is a lot of the fun for kids, and science and technology teaches us that dreams can become reality. When it comes to the field of robotics, there’s no end in sight. When I see technology stories in the news, I think about all these fine young students that have the technology bug. It occurs to me that technology and the robotics industry definitely have the best days ahead. So I am truly excited when I talk to school kids about technology. I tell them with the utmost confidence that robotics, science and technology have a lot to offer and they should reach for the stars and dream big. That’s what I did. I have been very fortunate to have a career in robotics, automation and technology. There truly is nothing more exciting than working in a high technology industry that’s so strong and innovative. It’s also refreshing to know that the growth in this industry seems to be finally hitting its stride.
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