Employers drawn to Windsor FIRST Robotics competition to scout talent

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The first robot Windsor Essex Great Lakes game this weekend looks like a video game, but for employers it’s like a STEM version of the Canadian Hockey League for future celebrity employees.

Many of Ontario’s best Ontario high school students in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and business are showing their intelligence and skills to some potential future employers.

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“People (students) are identified as high achievers very early on,” said Larry Koscielski, vice president of process and technology development at Centerline (Windsor) Ltd.

“We hired a lot of kids and after getting an engineering degree or a skilled deal, they passed the first robotics program. We will have workers here to mentor their team in high school

“They are helping prepare for the next round of potential employees.”

It was held Thursday to Saturday at the University of Windsor’s Telling Guns Division Center, the 10th Annual Great Lakes Competition in Ontario, which will host nine local teams and 20 across the province. The competition that can attract thousands of viewers also provides new gold sponsors for Rocket Innovation.

Each first robot competition has a theme or mission for the team to implement. This year’s theme Reefscape requires teams to use their skills to solve tasks inspired by actual marine challenges.

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Koscielski estimates that his company has hired 20 to 25 alumni from the program. He noted that the centerline is not alone, when digging out participants in the first robot.

“We have observed that I heard this from people in other companies, and they asked what we are doing for these kids,” said Koscielski, president of First Robotics at Windsor Essex.

“They are just different employees. From day one, they are ready to solve the problem and work together.

“They are huge thinkers, maybe they’re not entrepreneurs who start their own companies, but they can be inside the company because they think it’s large. We have four alumni in the product development lab.”

In fact, some local first robot players continue to start their own businesses, such as Optimotive founder Scott Fairley.

Windsor specializes in automatic wheels and tracking mobile robots to collect data and perform cleaning and drag responsibilities in challenge outdoor settings.

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Fairley received $2 million in funding last September and received additional support from the Silicon Valley Venture Capital Fund One version and Waterloo-based garage capital. The third supporter of the project is Newlab Detroit.

Kocielski said over the past decade, he has seen the positive changes they hope to achieve with the first robotics technology. One of these trends is a significant increase in the number of women joining the team.

“The shift to gender balance is huge,” Kosirski said. “We are now involved between 44 and 46 percent of women.

“Ten years ago, we were in our 30s. We have made great progress towards this point (balance).”

The first robotics appeal, Kocielski said, is that you don’t have to be a technician to attend. The program is designed to foster passion to help campaigns, conduct accounting, coordinate things, graphic design, business, collaborative work, and more.

“Everything needed to be a successful first robotics team as a company centerline needs to be a successful first robotics team,” he said.

dwaddell@postmedia.com

twitter.com/winstarwaddell

What: 2025, the No. 1 Robot Competition in Great Lakes, Windsor, Ontario;

when: Thursday to Saturday. Opening ceremony on Friday at 11 a.m.; competition from Friday at 11:30 to 7 p.m.; Saturday at 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Where: University of Windsor tells the Lancer Center

Entry: Free

WHO:29 Ontario High School Team participated in the competition.

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