A survey for FIRST Robotics Students

[Jizvonius]

1. How has Robotics prepared you for life after high school?

FIRST Robotics enabled me to create larger goals than simply get a good job, and make money. It also exposed me to the realities that make those goals necessary.

2. Is there one specific technical skill you learned in robotics you think you will use in life later on?

No there isn't. There are far too many for me to relate in this post.

3. What are some workplace skills you learned while being on a robotics team?

Working with team members with different technical backgrounds and analyzing/integrating the solutions that these backgrounds influence to solve a problem. Also, good design documentation skills that help to avoid many problems.

4. Given the Following list, list each skill by order of importance.
Planning,Compromise,Being open to the ideas of others, Delegation, and Commitment

Commitment, Planning, Being open to the ideas of others/Compromise, Delegation (that was hard, they're all really important)

5. What was the most difficult part of being on a robotics team?

Remaining objective in the face of many internal and external team problems.

6. What was the most important part of being on a robotics team to you?

It showed me that classroom science can be applied to the real world, and more importantly, I could do it.

7. Do you think it is important that there be Robotics teams in the future? Why or Why not?

Yes, incredibly. Robotics teams offer so much in terms of education that no structured class can offer. The problems that a team must overcome alone provide a learning experience that ties together the personal and technical aspects of any team. For now the medium is robotics, but as technology advances who knows what it may become.

8. Besides financial aid what effects do sponsors have on robotics teams?

In high school, having an active sponsor (technical or not) can show students that people in the proffesional world care about what they are doing. It serves to motivate the students and sometimes the schools that they are a part of to do bigger and better things. The money and facilities help too.

9. What makes a good mentor?

There are many good mentors that serve different roles on their respective teams. The role that I like to see the college mentors on our team play is that of older sibling. We share the knowlege that we have gained in college and from previous teams, but always let them know that they are only a few steps away from being in the same position as us if not a better one.

Jevawn Roberts
Co-Leader - GTFIRST
President - RoboJackets