The level of competition is insane - many teams utilize industry grade machinery to build custom parts. The skills you can learn translate over directly into industrial robotics.
You can look into combat robotics (smaller scale version of battlebots). I know of a few FTC alumni who have gone on to compete at different combat robotics leagues. The main league you can look into is the NHRL: https://www.nhrl.io/
There are different weight classes, so it is very accessible.
I will! The FIRST community is incredible - I love talking to other FTC participants around the world to share ideas and collectively improve our robots.
As for which competition I like more, I would say that VEX competitions are better run, and it is easier to advance to Worlds and be successful. However, I prefer the freedom you get with FTC because there are a lot more parts you can use, and you have more opportunities to take advantage of custom manufacturing processes such as 3D printing, laser-cutting, and CNC machining.
Thank you! We're definitely looking into scholarships and also grants. We also learned that outreach is super important, and have been reaching out to local businesses to spread the FIRST message.
