Not Just Fun and Games

Here at FIRST our mission is to inspire the next generation of technology leaders. That’s a pretty powerful mission, and one that’s hard to argue with.  The question is, how do we do that? Maybe more pointedly, how does the new FIRST Tech Challenge Android-based platform help?

FIRST Tech Challenge teams are presented with a completely unstructured problem. They have a list of approved parts and an annual game. From those they must design, develop, build and test a robot.

How does Android help better prepare students?

While the mechanical and electrical engineering content of the program are about equivalent to prior years, the new Android operating system opens up many more opportunities for FIRST Tech Challenge participants to connect what they’re learning to the real world.

FIRST Tech Challenge teams will learn how to program using Java, the backbone of the Android operating system. In doing so they will learn to be App Designers.  According to a January 2015 article by Network World, Mobile Applications Designer is the number one IT position to see salary increases between 2014 and 2015. In 2014 the average Mobile Applications Designer had a salary range of $100K - $144K.  In 2015 that range is expected to shift up to $108K - $162K, a net increase of over 10%.

That’s not surprising as Android is the most popular mobile operating system in the world, and trends show Android increasing that domination into the future. That, combined with growing preference of people to access information via their smartphone and tablet, have created a huge demand for programmers who can make information mobile device friendly.

If you’re not interested in working for others, one option is to develop and market your own apps. Google Play offers developers the chance to sell their apps directly to the public. Developers monetize those apps by selling them, or offering them free as a pull through for advertising paid to the developers. There are millions of dollars changing hands in the app world. The most popular free app right now is Clash of Clans, which is estimated to have generated over $158 million dollars since the fall of 2013.

The popularity of Android will help ensure Java continues to be the high school computer science programming language of choice. The Android operating system is based on Java, most high schools today base their advanced placement (AP) curriculum on Java as well.

Google is another powerful force in the Android ecosystem.  Android was developed by Google as an open source operating system and is now ubiquitous across mobile applications. The Android operating system is the platform on which a growing diversity of devices run and is a key piece of Google’s portfolio of technologies.

To keep up with demands, Google needs more Android developers and is working with Udacity to help supply that need. In fact Google and Udacity recently created an online nano-degree designed to teach developers to be work ready in just 12 months.

Ken Johnson, Director, FIRST Tech Challenge Program

The new FIRST Tech Challenge Android-based platform provides students with a range of real world application from sharpening up skills required by AP computer science courses they’re taking right now, to pathways to future careers developing mobile applications, and getting into app development as entrepreneurs. Now more than ever, FIRSTTech Challenge is geared to help students learn, grow, and succeed in developing their skills paving a pathway towards a bright future.