SWPA BotsIQ

BotsIQ is an educational program that unleashes the creative potential of high school students in Southwestern Pennsylvania while exciting them about and preparing them for careers in manufacturing and related STEM fields. Through the BotsIQ program, students build 15-pound battling robots that compete annually at regional colleges.

The vision of the BotsIQ program is:
Every student in Southwestern Pennsylvania considers manufacturing as a viable career option.

The mission of the BotsIQ program is:
To provide an exciting, hands-on experience through business/education partnerships to build the current and future workforce needed by the manufacturing industry.

The guiding principles of the BotsIQ program include the following. The BotsIQ program:
• Provides a fun learning program that encourages young people to consider a career in manufacturing
• Is low cost to schools
• Supports worker pipeline development for the regional manufacturing industry
• Builds a common recognition of issue (talk to action) by encouraging parental involvement and providing a synapse between business and educators.

Program History:
Faced with an aging manufacturing workforce, The Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association spear-headed efforts to bring a national student robotics program to the Pittsburgh region. Local manufacturers and educators joined forces in 2005, and with just 6 schools, launched BotsIQ. Now, in its eight year, the program has exploded to include more than 40 schools and its own fan base. Working with a Robotics Curriculum based on the National Curriculum Standards and Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) mechanical engineering methodology, southwestern Pennsylvania students are taught to design, build and battle robots in a gladiator-style competition. The competition draws on students' knowledge of math, science, engineering and even public speaking. Perhaps most importantly, students see that building things is challenging, it's fun, and IT'S A POTENTIAL CAREER.

Competitions will be held in March and April at Westmoreland County Community College and California University of PA. There are plenty of opportunities for local manufacturing companies to partner with the schools through this program including as sponsors, technical advisors, event volunteers or offering plant tours.