Educational Aspect

Students on Robotics Team 1717 gain a wealth of technical and business skills that prepare them well for post-secondary school and industry. Not only do students lead an extensive engineering project, which depends on a high degree of teamwork, strategy, construction ability, and understanding of engineering and science concepts, but they also run the academy as a business. While the games require mechanical, electrical, and programming skills, the build season offers our students an experience that simulates what it is like to work for an innovative engineering company. This company atmosphere provides our students with the unique opportunity to learn more than just the technical job skills necessary to be a successful employee. Our students learn important auxiliary skills such as managing budgets, working toward deadlines, giving formal presentations, building websites, and taking a project from concept to completion. These real-world skills are invaluable. Our students are much more prepared for employment and/or further education because of the experiences that this robotics curriculum affords them.