FIRST = Employee Training, Anybody tried it???

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Posted by ComBBAT Veteran, Engineer on team #21, ComBBAT, from Astronaut High School, Titusville High School and Boeing, NASA-KSC.

Posted on 5/17/99 8:22 PM MST



We're wondering if any of the old timer teams have tried it and how it works...

Have any of your companies established training programs for engineers, machinists, managers, etc. that incorporates the FIRST program? The robotics and animation contests seem like a great way to learn rapid prototyping, teamwork, CAD, software, project management, stress management ;). It would seem to be a great way to help justify the cost to upper-management and improve the company's ownership of the team.

I'd like to know how it works on your team.
How do you decide who should participate?
Are trainees as dedicated as volunteers?
How well does it work?
How do you work with the students?

Maybe nobody does this and it just makes a good 'what if' in FIRST's promotional material. If you're not doing it, what are your thoughts?

Scott

[archiver]

Posted by Dan, Student on team #10, BSM, from Benilde-St. Margaret's and Banner Engineering.

Posted on 5/17/99 8:42 PM MST


In Reply to: FIRST = Employee Training, Anybody tried it??? posted by ComBBAT Veteran on 5/17/99 8:22 PM MST:



I think that any engineer in FIRST should have a firm grasp on what they are doing with the kids. I don't think things work as well when the engineer is learning along with the kids. Perhaps you could have the engineers 'strengthen' their skills in those areas instead of 'learning' them. :-Dan

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Posted by Joe Johnson, Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 5/18/99 6:28 PM MST


In Reply to: FIRST = Employee Training, Anybody tried it??? posted by ComBBAT Veteran on 5/17/99 8:22 PM MST:



The idea that FIRST good training for engineers is much more than a nice sounding blurb in a FIRST brochure.

For most big organizations, an engineering project has a life cycle of years not weeks.

FIRST is one of the best places I know of to sharpen engineering skills. Coming up with workable solutions to problems under pressure cooker situations is a very valuable skill for engineers in an organization to have.

Perhaps I live in a different world than most, but in the Delphi Interior Systems' Advanced Development Group, my job has practically become like one FIRST project after another ('We need that design yesterday or we will miss our ship date').

By the way, has anyone noticed how many key team members from FIRST teams get promoted on to new positions?

I don't think that it is just a matter of these folks getting a lot of good will from volunteering with a bunch of worthy kids. I think that the FIRST process has helped them to become better at their day jobs.

I know that I am a better engineer because of the experience that FIRST has given me. I have seen the same thing in many of the members of our team.


Joe J.