Education and Training

Not all careers in robotics require four-year undergraduate or even more advanced degrees. There are many excellent technical or vocational schools that offer two-year programs in computers, mechanics, electronics, CAD/CAM, electromechanics, and related fields. These private trade and technical schools offer a variety of robotics-related courses, including engineering, automation, electromechanical technology, biomedical equipment repair, telecommunications, machinist training, electrical engineering, digital electronics, industrial computer technology, and industrial electronics.

Community colleges, trade schools, and technical schools should be fully accredited, which means they must follow an approved curriculum and be recognized by state and private educational agencies such as the National Association of Trade and Technical Schools (NATTS). To determine which school best suits your needs, you should request catalogs from those that interest you. Catalogs and curriculum might also be available online or in your guidance counselor's office. Your goal is to finish a trade or technical school with all the skills necessary to immediately begin a job in your chosen field. You want a school that teaches all the latest technology in modern facilities with up-to-date workshops and laboratories.

Tech and trade schools do not need to be the end of the educational line, however. What they do provide is a faster track to a career in your field, after which you can continue your studies part-time to earn advanced degrees. Community colleges and some trade schools offer two-year associate degrees, which are about halfway to a bachelor's degree. The next step would be a master's, which usually takes another one to two years to complete. Each rung up the educational ladder translates into an increase in career opportunities. Two-year degrees are available in most of the technical fields, including computers, electromechanical programs, manufacturing engineering, and biomedical engineering.