The excitement is building as Vaughn College gears up to host a series of VEX Robotics Tournaments for middle, high school and college students in the hangar on the College’s campus.

This three-day event is sure to be a true nail biter as talented enthusiasts show off their robots in thrilling competitions of engineering skills and ingenuity. The schedule will be as follows:

• February 10: VCAT VEX U Tournament—Vaughn College Robotics Team (VCAT) will compete against national and international universities.
• February 11: VCAT VRC Tournament Qualifier—High school students will compete to qualify for the state championships.
• February 12: VEX IQ Competition—Middle school students will compete in an open-ended robotics challenge. This exciting opportunity not only enhances hands-on STEM skills but fosters a student’s development of teamwork, critical thinking, project management and communication skills.

Vaughn has degree programs to meet robotics demand

Competitions such as VEX Robotics World Championship offer students an amazing opportunity to put their robotics and automation skills to the test, while also building vital leadership, collaboration and problem solving skills that students take with them into their future careers.

Vaughn College has long been an institution that meets industry demands by offering futureproof degree programs in fields that impact our daily lives. Robotics engineering and automation are becoming part of today’s most sought-after professions. Through exciting clubs like VCAT and VEX U Robotic World Championship competitions, Vaughn students from diverse majors like mechanical engineering, mechatronic engineering and management are able to put their diverse talents into motion. Why is this important?

According to surveys conducted by ABB, a Swiss-based automation technology company, robotics and automation training are falling behind the increased global demand as it relates to supply chain and education. In fact, although the survey revealed that only one-in-four institutions are teaching these competencies throughout the globe, 80 percent of education professionals said skills in these fields will be crucial for employment in the future. Further results showed that due to supply chain issues, an average of 70 percent of US and European businesses plan to invest in robotics and automation over the next three years. So, what does this mean for your future? If you have ever had an interest in robotics, it might be time to start considering it as a solid career.

Your pathway to success

Vaughn’s mechatronic engineering curriculum was developed to combine mechanical, electrical and computer engineering to prepare students for this fast-paced and ever-changing industry. This leading-edge program gives students the education and tools that are needed to have successful engineering careers in aerospace, automation, automotive, computer, communications and other high-tech industries. And were you aware that this leading-edge degree in engineering is one of only four in the country to receive accreditation by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET?

Meet the future you: Success stories

Check out some of our student success stories to learn how Vaughn’s mechatronic engineering program has allowed our students to become successful in a variety of industries.

Jefferson Maldonado ‘16: Read how this Vaughn graduate went back to college to earn a degree in mechatronic engineering after his four-year military career in the U.S. Navy.
“Mechatronic Engineering Graduate Lands Dream Job in Robotics”

Atif Saeed ‘20: Learn how this Vaughn graduate’s love for aviation and passion for engineering landed him his dream job at Lockheed Martin.
“Vaughn Senior Fast Tracks His Future in Mechatronic Engineering”

Tatiana Jaimes ‘22: Find out how this Vaughn graduate—with the support from the College—used mechatronic engineering to design a literacy tool for visually impaired children, where she ultimately landed a job at NASA after graduation.
“Tatiana Jaimes ’22 Uses Mechatronic Engineering to Design BrailleBud, a Literacy Tool for Visually Impaired Children”

Misael Marquez ‘22: Read this exciting article featuring Misael Marquez, president of VCAT, who discusses winning the Excellence Award at the 2022 VEX Worlds Championship—the highest honor presented at VEX Competitions. Learn how he credits joining the robotics team and pursuing a degree in mechatronic engineering as being key to his success.

Vaughn College Robotics Team: For a collective story of triumph, read about a first placement win: “Vaughn Robotics Team Named Number One in the World”

Are you interested in the exciting field of robotics engineering? Now is the time to earn your degree to meet the demand in this surging field. Apply today.

And don’t forget to keep up with VCAT team – follow their live stream competitions on Twitch!