Strengthening Workforce Development Initiatives Through High School Robotics 

Are you interested in robotics and workforce development? We are seeking industry volunteers for NFPA’s Robotics Challenge program. This program helps build awareness of fluid power benefits and careers among high school students. 

The NFPA Education and Technology Foundation offers one merit-based Robotics Challenge Scholarship that awards $30,000 ($7,500 per year for four years) to a high school senior who participates in a FIRST® Robotics or VEX Robotics Competition Team and uses fluid power in their competition robot.  

Are you interested in being a mentor for a robotics team for their design and build process?  

There are a few robotics teams that are seeking advice from industry representatives on how to incorporate pneumatics in their designs. This serves as a rewarding platform to guide students as they work on their projects and introduce them to your company and careers in our industry. Robotics teams seeking industry mentorship are in:    

• Franklin Park, IL 
• Northlake, IL 
• Girard, OH 
• Grandview Heights, OH 
• Kent, OH 
• Upper Arlington, OH 

Are you interested in getting involved with NFPA’s Scholarship Programs? 

We are currently recruiting judges to serve on the application review committee. NFPA’s scholarship programs rely on volunteer judges from the fluid power industry. For each program, the time commitment is approximately 3-5 hours. 

Last cycle, we received 97 student applications to NFPA Scholarship Programs. This cycle, we anticipate more applications from qualified and passionate students. By joining the application review committee, NFPA members have the opportunity to identify students with optimistic futures in the fluid power industry. Sign up by March 25^th!  

Are you looking for other, regional opportunities?  

FIRST and VEX have volunteer opportunities at a variety of regional, state, and national level robotics competition events. According to FIRST, volunteering at a robotics competition event empowers students to be good global citizens who understand that they can use their collective skills to make a positive impact in one person’s life, in their community, and even the world. 

Are you already involved in robotics mentoring? Tell us about your experience!  

If you would like to learn more about any of these opportunities, please contact Haley Nemeth at hnemeth@nfpa.com.