Why Join

Why Join a Robotics Team?

Foster intense learning at all levels: If you've been part of a robotics competition team, you know that they're anything but dull. Competitions immerse students in dynamic teamwork, creative challenges, technical problems, project planning, project management, time management, computational thinking, design thinking, and a whole lot of other stuff. As they work to apply the engineering process to real-world problems, students must figure out how to work within the parameters they're given, but must also figure out how to be as creative as possible within those parameters.

This adds up to a whole lot of STEM and 21st century learning as students plan, adapt, iterate, improvise, prototype, design, and redesign their robots. And, since competition teams often travel, kids get the added bonus of meeting new people and traveling to new places, sometimes even internationally.

Get interested in STEM: Did you know that three-quarters of the fastest growing occupations require significant mathematics or science preparation? And that by 2018, there could be 2.4 million unfilled STEM jobs in the U.S? And did you know that twenty-eight percent of US companies say that at least half of their new entry-level hires lack basic STEM literacy?

There are more and more STEM jobs out there, but fewer and fewer candidates who are qualified to fill them. One way to stop this "STEM crisis" is to get more kids interested in pursuing STEM careers, and robotics competitions are a great way to do that. By using STEM skills and concepts to solve real-world problems, student get to apply their math and science skills in a fun and interesting way, and this can help spark students' life-long interest in STEM.

There's something fun for everyone: While building and programming your robot may be the team's focus, there's a lot more involved. Just like any IT company, the team also needs people who can:

  • design logos
  • create team merchandise
  • help with fundraising
  • track spending
  • create design notebooks
  • coordinate and manage logistics
  • video and social media management
  • pit crew
  • other tasks that aren't directly related to programming.

This is a great way for team members to see how their skills can add value in a STEM-related field.

It's a sport where everyone can turn pro: Unlike football, basketball, or even marching band, robotics is a field that provides each and every participant with a real chance to make it in the big leagues. Not only does being part of a competition team provide students with important real-world skills, competitions are also a great place to make industry connections, and they can also be a great way for students to earn scholarships. Adapted from RobotC.net

Logo