Elizabethtown Community and Technical College’s (ECTC) Advanced Manufacturing Accelerator Project (AMAP) has launched a VEX Robotics program to increase awareness among middle and high school students of the skills needed in high-demand careers.
AMAP will partner with Grayson County Schools as well as schools in Breckinridge and five other Kentucky counties to provide VEX Robotics materials and assistance with teachers’ stipends as well.
The project will promote advanced manufacturing career pathways and create new opportunities for career exploration and preparation. The project’s primary objective is to develop a pipeline of talent from middle school, to high school, to ECTC, to internships and to employment in advanced manufacturing.
“We see a lot of interest in STEM activities, particularly robotics, and we want to not only nurture that interest but also help students see the connections to careers in advanced manufacturing,” AMAP Director Eileen Worthington said. “To start, we’re teaching teachers how to develop a successful robotics team.”
JT Burns, an IT professional and Student Technology Leadership Program coach with Grayson County Schools, said he’s looking forward to using what he learned in the training to expand activities to include VEX Robotics in the fall.
“I really like what I’ve seen with VEX. The competition is more hands-on,” Burns said while noting VEX can increase interest in broader areas. “Robotics links manufacturing and computer science and can bring more kids together in an environment they might not have been in otherwise.”
AMAP was established at ECTC this year thanks to a $1.9 million U.S. Department of Education Rural Postsecondary Economic Development grant.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
