CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
7 May 2013
Company News
PTC Continues Commitment to STEM Leadership and a Future Qualified Work Force
PTC today extended congratulations to its company-sponsored, award-winning teams at the FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship in St. Louis, Mo., April 24-27, 2013.
Estimates indicate there will be 2.4 million jobs created in STEM fields in the U.S. by 2018, but only 25 percent of high-school students today complete basic math and engineering course work. The need for more graduates in science, technology, engineering and math is felt by many global manufacturers, so it is critical that programs such as FIRST are successful to help fill the pipeline of future engineers, as well as to build a qualified work force.
"Programs like FIRST help students get excited about science, math and technology at an early age," said John Stuart, senior vice president global education, PTC, adding, "It's about making an investment for the future, and we at PTC think this is a major priority. We're proud to continue our support of FIRST and we congratulate all the teams that participated in this year's Championship."
Founded over 20 years ago by inventor Dean Kamen, the 2012-2013 FIRST season attracted over 300,000 youth worldwide and more than 120,000 mentors, coaches and volunteers from over 60 countries. The annual programs culminate in an international robotics competition and celebration where teams win recognition, gain self-confidence, develop people and life skills, make new friends, and perhaps discover an unforeseen career path.
"PTC's sponsorship of our FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC®) Team 525, Swartdogs, from Cedar Falls, IA, has helped us learn STEM and leadership skills required by many global companies," said Kenton Swartley, coach. "We are grateful that PTC was our sponsor for this year's competition and enjoyed the time at the Championship in St. Louis."
At this year's FIRST Championship the PTC booth showcased many of the teams' robots modeled and managed with PTC's solutions. Visitors also learned how teams are using PTC software to design, develop and build a robot while collaborating and communicating effectively among team members. This is the same PTC software that is used by over 27,000 leading manufacturing companies around the world. And finally, FIRST students had the opportunity to compete in the PTC Design Challenge with the winners showing the most complete 3D robot design:
1. Gage Farestad representing Landroids, FTC #4220
2. Colton Mehlhoff representing Fish in the Boat, FTC #4140
3. Chris Vincent representing Say Watt?, FTC #3539
"Being a Mentor for the Swartdogs continues to be one of the most rewarding points in my career," said Tom Ore, Staff Engineer at the John Deere Product Engineering Center in Waterloo, IA. "The chance to partner with PTC and teach these kids how to use engineering software in an environment where professional engineers can offer advice and expertise will give these students a head start both in college and in the work force after they graduate."
"The FIRST Championship combines the excitement of sports with science and technology," said Robert Tuttle, interim president, FIRST. "PTC works very hard to connect FIRST students to mentors not only within PTC's 6,000 employees, but also with their 27,000 global manufacturing customers so that students worldwide can develop the engineering skills that are in high demand from these organizations."
PTC sponsored teams received the following awards at the 2013 FIRST Championship in St Louis: (link to team photos in Additional Resources)
- FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC®) Awards
o Mechanical Mayhem, #1519 from Milford, NH, won 2nd place FRC overall
o The Pink Team, #233 from Rockledge, FL, won Team Spirit Award by Chrysler
- FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC®) Awards
o Beta Team, #3550 from West Des Moines, IA, won the FTC Inspire Award
o Fish in the Boat, #4140 from Lakeville, MN, winning both the FTC Winning Alliance Award and the FTC PTC Design Award
o Say Watt?, #3539 from Edison, NJ, won the FTC FIRST Responders Award
FIRST has designated PTC as a Strategic Partner, its highest level of sponsor recognition, based on its cumulative support of teams, annual in-kind donations, resources, technology, design and collaboration software, training and employee involvement as well as contributions across the FIRST family of K-12 programs.
PTC is proud to be a Crown Supplier to the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) for the seventh consecutive year and the official CAD and Collaboration Sponsor to the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) for the fifth year, providing free software, including PTC Creo®, PTC Mathcad® and PTC Windchill® to participating teams.
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