‍Any business leader would love to be able to predict the future, and rarely has the proverbial crystal ball been so clear: The success of many businesses, if not all, depends on strengthening the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) pipeline. In fact, STEM jobs are growing twice as quickly as non-STEM careers. As demand for qualified talent takes off, corporate America and executives across manufacturing and other industries are hustling to fortify the talent pool over the next 5-10 years. To do so, they’re turning to something unexpected: youth robotics.

How and why did a concept devised by prolific inventor Dean Kamen 35 years ago become a turnkey solution to career readiness and workforce pipelining? It didn’t happen overnight. Youth robotics has grown to fill many crucial STEM talent gaps that have emerged as technology, society and our education system evolved. Today's workforce and education needs are vastly different than they were in the early and mid-20th century. In the early 1900s, companies feared employees who lacked access to education would be unable to compete as the American economy shifted from agriculture and small manufacturing to larger industrial corporations. A few decades later, the G.I. Bill of 1944 greatly expanded access to community colleges and vocational schools in the wake of World War II.

Unfortunately, the pace and complexity of today’s technological advancements are outpacing many school districts’ ability to make the pivots needed to train workers in these areas. While they are adapting as quickly as possible, other interventions are helping bridge learning and resource gaps to build STEM interest among students and prepare them for the workforce of today ‍and tomorrow.

One comprehensive option is ‍FIRST®, the world’s largest youth-serving robotics community providing STEM engagement opportunities that go beyond traditional classroom learning. These hands-on programs, which can be delivered in the classroom, as after-school extracurriculars, or as community-based programs, serve students as young as age 4 and go all the way through high school.
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They engage students in exciting, rigorous challenges that expand their educational interests and push their interpersonal limits. Beyond fueling young people’s STEM interest, robotics also builds resilience, teamwork, problem-solving, communication and many other valuable skills students will need when they reach working age. Beyond the clear benefits of workforce preparedness, the fun, friendly competition at the heart of these programs should not be overlooked. ‍FIRST is a sport as exciting as any other and the only one where every kid has the opportunity to go pro.

Robotics programs give students the tools and confidence they need to follow many paths, including entering the workforce immediately after high school graduation in fields like manufacturing; pursuing a trade; or entering a two- or four-year collegiate STEM degree program. Among those who do elect to attend a college or university, FIRST has especially strong results on STEM affinity and career goals among its participants as compared to their non-roboticist peers and is especially effective at engaging young women.

In recognition of youth robotics’ consistent, important impact, here are some of the ways the public and private sectors are investing and engaging with ‍FIRST programs.

‍Advancing support for STEM education
‍Many companies invest in STEM education in some form, but these are often one-off engagements or ad hoc donations. A more efficient and impactful approach is to streamline corporate giving. By selecting two or three STEM-related focus areas that align with corporate agendas, priority markets and social impact goals, leaders can build philanthropy and investment strategies that directly result in workforce pipeline development and drive ROI for recruiting to operations and everything in between. Selecting the right partner that can scale up or down is key, and many Fortune 500 companies choose to partner with FIRST because of the program’s impact and presence in all 50 U.S. states and more than 100 countries.

Companies can also advance financial support for STEM education via government-led initiatives. Semiconductor companies seeking federal funding for manufacturing facilities through the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, for example, must demonstrate they are also investing in a future highly skilled workforce. FIRST corporate partners (such as Qualcomm Incorporated and Wolfspeed) already see how FIRST is fortifying the high-skilled talent pipeline in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing spaces. This opportunity is not exclusive to the semiconductor workforce. It’s a complicated ecosystem but corporate public affairs teams should evaluate whether and how to leverage state and federal initiatives to support these efforts, which stand to benefit students, corporate outputs and working professionals alike.

‍Fortifying talent pipelines through STEM mentorship
‍From small businesses to Fortune 500s like Qualcomm Inc., BAE Systems and more, thousands of working professionals are inspiring the next generation of STEM innovators. Many volunteer their time as robotics team mentors, giving guidance on everything from manufacturing and coding to business and marketing. There are mentorship opportunities for companies nationwide. In the 2022-2023 season, 24 percent of public U.S. school districts had at least one FIRST team, and FIRST was present in 8 percent of U.S. Title 1 public schools (those that serve a higher percentage of students from economically disadvantaged families).

Hundreds of thousands of adult mentors support ‍FIRST teams around the world, providing 28 million mentorship hours annually. Since the company initially began supporting FIRST, Qualcomm has hired many program participants for full-time or internship roles. “Getting our employees involved helps develop their passion and desire to give back, while also helping encourage students from all backgrounds to explore STEM. Growing the pool of STEM students is key to not only expanding the talent pipeline, but making sure it reflects diverse experiences and points of view,” said Angela Baker, vice president of corporate responsibility and chief sustainability officer at Qualcomm Incorporated. “Once those students are exposed to practical, educational STEM experiences, they learn about Qualcomm Technologies through mentorship, relationship-building and exposure to our technology, and ultimately ensures awareness of our job opportunities and internships.”  

Mentorship does more than support students. It can also help reinvigorate adult professionals by honing their leadership and communication skills and boosting their confidence. “When our employees volunteer as mentors and coaches, they not only help guide and inspire our future STEM leaders, but they also continue to sharpen their intergenerational communication and problem-solving skills to help them grow in their own careers,” said Tom Arseneault, president and CEO of BAE Systems, Inc.

As school districts accelerate efforts to evolve curricula that reflect the rapidly evolving technological landscape, companies can help close the gap and support their business and talent objectives by investing in programs that get young people truly excited about their potential to build a better world through science and technology. Learn how you can get involved in FIRST as a corporate sponsor, professional mentor or volunteer by visiting www.firstinspires.org.