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Robotics and automation career field is booming and is projected to continually grow in the future. The School District of Arcadia Technology Education Department is embracing the future and creating pathways for students to obtain experience in the classroom. Starting in 8^th grade Technology Education Explore class, students are able to get hands-on experience with VEX Robotics kits. With these kits’ students learn how to design and build robots as well as problem solving skills. The goal of the middle school explore classes is to spark interest in specific careers and advance their knowledge through high school Career and Technical Education (CTE course).

The Arcadia High School offers two in house courses in this pathway, Introduction to Technology and Robotics and Automation. In Introduction to Technology students learn advanced features of the robot’s sensors, why they are used, how to implement them. In Robotics and Automation, the curriculum is focused on problem solving and building of the robots to carry out the automation. Each individual student will complete the course by building their own robots and they come together to form an assembly line to produce a product. Advanced courses are offered through the TVC 2.0 Mobile Skills lab where students work with programming and using industrial robots to perform assigned tasks.

The robots used in the School District of Arcadia’s curriculum will be upgraded to the V5 VEX Robotics kits thanks to a recent donation from Ashley Furniture. This donation will allow the district to upgrade and expand their robotics and allow students to build using real world situations and devices. Technology Education Teacher, John Peterson stated “As VEX continues to adapt and change the equipment to better the student’s interest and abilities, it also makes the students excited to learn about robots. This excitement sparks a career interested in the robotics field that is in high demand.”