"Why are you playing with robots?"

�Why are you playing with robots?�

If you�re like many FIRST� participants you�ve undoubtedly been asked this question when your friends or family hear about your robotics team.

Everyone understands �team� and most know what a robot is, but many can�t connect how you might be competing and assume you�re just playing with technology. It�s not a big step from that to simply categorizing your efforts as a geeky outlet. �Good for Marissa, she�s playing with robots�� But what you want them to know is through these �geeky� robotics competitions, FIRST is developing future innovators, technology leaders, and creative problem solvers. You and your team are channeling your raw curiosity to think critically and seek ways to improve the world around  you � and you�re having fun while doing it.

At, FIRST we fight this same battle against projections like this. Amplifying the FIRST experience, expanding access to our programs, and convincing sponsors and volunteers to join the mission.

How do we address this?

In the largest sense, this is part of our overall mission to change the culture. Spotlighting the incredible importance of technology and those who will drive it because FIRST is creating the people who will change the world � today and
tomorrow (yes, you). Every step in our evolution as humans has depended on technology � but not everyone immediately gets it.

How would I address it as a student, volunteer, coach?

I�d tell them I was developing interest and skill with my team, competing against others, leveraging real-world technology. I would pull information and put it to use from mentors, teachers, the internet, and anywhere I could find it to excel. I would point out the skills my team were developing are in high demand right now � both from universities who want to recruit these students, and employers who can�t find enough people with these abilities. A quick spin around the web provide some pretty impactful proof points:

• Approximately 200 Universities offer over $80 million scholarship dollars annuallyto FIRST students.  https://www.firstinspires.org/scholarships
• The average salary for Android based mobile application developers is $121,164 https://www.indeed.com/salaries/Android-Developer-Salaries and CNN Money ranked mobile app development as the #1 best job in America for 2017 https://adtmag.com/articles/2017/01/06/best-job-in-america.aspx. The mobile app developer population is expected to top 14 million by the year 2020.
• Java Developers in Boston, Massachusetts make an average of $102,967 per Salary.com in 2018 and Java continues to be the advanced placement programming language in high schools. https://www1.salary.com/MA/Boston/Java-Developer-Salary.html
• Augmented Reality Developers are in demand and that demand will grow. Vuforia is the leading augmented reality platform, and it�s used by FIRST Tech Challenge teams. Average salaries there are in the $105,023 range per Glassdoor. https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/augmented-reality-software-developer-salary-SRCH_KO0,36.htm

FIRST� Tech Challenge is one of the only teams you can start where every single participant can �go pro� at competitive salaries � all while making the world a better place. That�s what I�d tell them.

You already have a sense for this if you�re on a team, but what about those who are not? Share your experience! Perhaps they don�t understand or think FIRST Tech Challenge is too �techie.� Tell them what FIRST is all about.

I ask that if you are involved with FIRST, take the next step and get others involved. We need more students to take advantage of the program. To do that coaches and volunteers are needed. Sponsors are critical as well. Feel free to share this note with anyone you�d like to tell them what you�re doing � and why. Together we�ll help give them and their families a wonderful opportunity to create a meaningful and fulfilling career � all the while helping move society forward!

Thanks,

Ken Johnson
Director, FIRST Tech Challenge