Gecko Robotics Opened Its Doors to Middle and High School Students

For many students, career exploration starts well before the age of 18. Deciding on a life path can be daunting, especially when kids and teens are presented with many options yet little in practical information or experience. Bridging the divide between students and industry professionals is key to making informed decisions. Relatability is made even easier when the age gap between students and professionals is lower. This summer, Gecko Robotics opened its doors to middle and high school students and invited them to engage with their college interns.

This event included students from two programs engaging in hands-on STEM curriculum. One was BotsIQ, a manufacturing workforce development program with a goal to provide a pathway for youth to learn about rewarding career options in manufacturing. The second group was from L.A.U.N.C.H., a Pittsburgh Technology Council/Fortyx80 program which transforms the natural curiosity of high school girls into a voice of leadership in the STEM industry. While separate programs, they both share a similar vision: students are the future of the workforce and should gain knowledge and resources to build their ideal pathways to careers.

Gecko Robotics’ mission statement is “To protect today's critical infrastructure, and give form to tomorrow's.” Staying true to this mission, Gecko hosts events like this summer visit as a first step for the young people who will build the future of Pittsburgh’s infrastructure. A leading company in the Pittsburgh robotics industry, Gecko produces hardware and software solutions that help its clients across the globe ensure the reliability and sustainability of their substructures.

This collaborative event featured an office tour, robot demonstration and networking with Gecko Robotics employees. Among these employees was Mackenzie Lloyd, of the Gecko Robotics marketing department. Lloyd’s vision includes investing in the future of technology through partnership between interns and young kids. While the students had a lot of fun guiding Gecko’s robots, their interest particularly peaked during their sessions with Gecko’s current college interns.

During these sessions, students learned about the interns’ summer projects and conversed freely about the curiosities of the tech world. The students were able to make connections and relate to the Gecko interns. One 8^th grade student asked an intern, “Do you use Python when coding?” Upon receiving a “Yes” to the answer, the student instantly began to make remarks that he is currently learning the same program at home. This conversation continued with numerous students jumping in to explain how they are coding their BotsIQ competition robot using the same program. Any divide in the room became nonexistent as everyone realized that the only significant difference between the students, interns, and employees was their ages.