Alumni Spotlight
Chad Robinson

What team were you a member of?

I am an FRC 4935 T-Rex alumni.

Where do you currently work?

I am a fourth year apprentice at Siemens Energy. I have represented the Siemens apprenticeship at the White House in a roundtable meeting with President Trump and Chancellor Merkel of Germany, I was awarded a full scholarship to travel to Germany in order to study the language and work for Siemens, and I will complete my education with a degree in Computer Integrated Machining, Business Management, and German completely debt free.

What are some skills you learned from your FIRSTexperience that have made an impact on your current job?

I have had many opportunities in the early stages of my career thanks to FIRSTand T-Rex. The skill set that FIRSTinstilled in me is why I have accomplished what I have thus far in my career. Being on the team gave me the most real-world experience I could get in high school. I was able to operate on different machinery (drill presses, band saws, bridgeports), worked with CAD models, made business calls, brainstormed marketing promotions, and worked first-hand with employees at Bosch Rexroth. I was able to experience what is was like to work within an actual business. That is something I could not get in any other program at school. FIRSToffered me the chance to gain valuable work experience that better prepared me for my future.

How has FIRSTimpacted your life?

I would not be where I am today without FIRSTand T-Rex; it provided me with so many networking opportunities. We worked hand and hand with various companies that were mentors, volunteers, and even sponsors. That is how I was able to get my foot in the door with Siemens. My social and soft skills were cultivated throughout my tenure with T-Rex. We had to come up with a business plan for our robot and present that to our mentors, judges and even to other teams. Having T-Rex and FIRSTin my life impacted me in ways I could never imagine and I cannot express enough gratitude to the mentors that provided us with wisdom and knowledge, my fellow members for bringing out the best in me, and the sponsors who provided us with this unique opportunity.