Bechtel has sponsored eighteen teams belonging to high school, ready to compete in 2012 FIRST Robotics Competition, FRC.
This is a contemporary sporting event based on robots that are engineered and constructed by students. Canada and U.S – based employees of Bechtel offered technical direction and support for the construction of robots by the student teams, and their subsequent participation in ‘Rebound Rumble’ basket ball games.
FRC intends to develop expertise in science, technology, and engineering, besides creating innovation amidst students. Being a global engineering company, Bechtel is focused on ensuring new potentials for its employees while the students involve in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
The FRC enables the students to be familiar with multiple aspects involved in engineering. Based on limited resources, short duration and stringent regulations, the teams should design a team ‘brand,’ create funds, develop teamwork skills, and manipulate robots, prior to participating in the event.
According to the founder of FIRST, Dean Kamen, this effort owes to the excellent team work between communities, companies and students, which led to progress in FIRST’s mission to enable more students to develop their skills in science, technology, engineering, and math, create innovation among the students and develop passion for science and technology.
During March and April, the teams will compete in the events taking place at Montreal, QC; Baltimore, Md.; Richmond, Va.; Houston, TX; Washington, D.C ; and Knoxville, Tenn., to prepare for the world championship in late April. Bechtel will financially support these six regional competitions.