How to Highlight the Workforce Skills You Gained in FIRST on Your Resume

In today’s competitive job market, having both technical and non-technical skills is crucial, especially in STEM fields. Whether you’re a FIRST alum or a current high school student, your participation in FIRST programs has equipped you with a unique set of skills that employers highly value. This guide will help you effectively showcase those skills on your resume and stand out to potential employers.

Why Leading Employers Value FIRST Alumni

Many top-tier companies recognize that FIRST participants enter the workforce with a distinct advantage. These FIRST sponsors are more than just financial contributors—they are partners who actively seek out FIRST alumni for their unique skills.

“Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. values the expertise and hands-on experience that students foster through FIRST. The skills, technical knowledge, and teamwork of the students make them standout problem-solvers, aligning with Qualcomm’s values of achieving excellence, making the impossible inevitable, and winning together.” –  said Kedar Kondap, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Compute & Gaming, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Identifying the Skills You Gained in FIRST

Being part of FIRST goes beyond building robots—it’s about developing real-world skills that are essential in professional settings. FIRST programs provide opportunities to acquire technical, leadership, and collaboration skills, all of which are highly sought after by employers.

Breaking Down the Skills Acquired in FIRST Programs

Technical Skills:

FIRST programs offer hands-on experience in a wide range of technical domains. Key skills you may have developed include:

• Programming: Languages like C++, Java, Python, or LabVIEW.
• CAD Design: Proficiency in tools like SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, or Onshape for creating 3D models.
• Engineering Principles: Understanding mechanics, electronics, pneumatics, and control systems.
• Robotics: Designing, building, and programming robots for competitions with real-world constraints like limited resources and time.

Non-Technical Skills:

Just as important as technical know-how are the soft skills you’ve gained:

• Leadership: Leading a subteam or the entire team, coordinating meetings, and managing resources.
• Project Management: Planning, budgeting, risk assessment, and timeline management for complex, long-term projects.
• Teamwork: Collaborating effectively with diverse team members, mentors, and sponsors to achieve shared goals.
• Communication: Delivering presentations, writing technical reports, and effectively communicating with sponsors, judges, and other stakeholders.
• Problem-Solving: Applying critical thinking to overcome challenges under pressure, whether it’s redesigning a failed mechanism or troubleshooting software issues.

Tip: Reflect on your unique experiences in FIRST. Write down specific examples where you demonstrated these skills, such as leading a team to solve a critical robot malfunction just before a match or developing a strategy that improved your team’s performance during competitions. These examples will make your resume more compelling.

Where and How to List FIRST on Your Resume

When applying for jobs or internships, it’s crucial to highlight your FIRST experience in a way that catches the attention of recruiters. Here’s where and how to incorporate FIRST into your resume to maximize its impact.

1. Experience Section

Your involvement in FIRST is substantial and should be treated as professional experience, especially if you had leadership roles or worked on complex projects. Here’s how to structure it:

Example:

Team Captain, FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC)
Team Name, Location | Year(s) of Involvement

• Led a team of 12 students to design, build, and program robots for regional and national competitions.
• Used programming languages (C++, Java) to develop autonomous and remote-controlled robot systems.
• Collaborated with mentors and industry professionals to solve engineering challenges.
• Managed project timelines, team meetings, and budgets, resulting in a 25% efficiency improvement and a regional award for robot design.

Key Skills: Project management, C++/Java programming, robotics engineering, leadership, teamwork.

This format gives your experience the professional weight it deserves by detailing both your role and accomplishments.

2. Skills Section

FIRST has equipped you with technical and soft skills that are highly valuable to employers. List these in the skills section to provide a snapshot of your abilities.

Example:

Skills:

• Programming: C++, Java, Python
• CAD Design: SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor
• Project Management: Agile methodology, Monday.com, Asana
• Leadership: Team coordination, conflict resolution
• Communication: Technical writing, presentations

3. Awards & Achievements Section

If you’ve earned any awards through FIRST (such as Dean’s List Award, Engineering Inspiration Award, or Impact Award), showcase these under a dedicated “Awards” or “Achievements” section. This is an excellent way to demonstrate that you not only participated but excelled in the program.

Example:

Awards & Achievements

• FIRST Dean’s List Award Finalist (Year) – Recognized for outstanding leadership and dedication to the team.
• Innovation in Control Award (Year) – Awarded for innovative control systems in robot design.
• FIRST Robotics Competition Regional Winner (Year) – Team qualified for the international competition at the Aerospace Valley Regional.

4. Extracurricular or Volunteering Section (Optional)

If you’ve also mentored younger teams, volunteered at FIRST events, or participated in outreach programs, you can include these in a separate section.

Example:

Volunteer, FIRST LEGO League Qualifying Tournament
Event Name, Location | Year(s) of Involvement

• Served as a robot design judge

Translating Technical Skills to Your Resume

Employers want to see more than just a list of skills—they want to know how you’ve applied them. Here’s how to translate your technical skills into resume content that demonstrates your expertise and impact.

Instead of using generic phrases like “Robotics experience,” aim to quantify your accomplishments. For example:

• Before: “Robotics experience”
• After: “Led a team of 8 students to design, build, and program a competitive robot using C++ and Java, which advanced to the FIRST World Championship, receiving the Quality Award for innovative engineering design.”

This demonstrates not just your technical ability, but also leadership, teamwork, and success in high-pressure environments.

Rather than simply listing technical abilities, add context to show depth:

• Before: “Programming”
• After: “Proficient in C++, Java, and Python; developed software for autonomous robot navigation, integrated sensors, and remote control systems for competitive robotics challenges.”

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to include technical details, such as specific sensor systems or frameworks that will resonate with employers in your field.

Highlighting Non-Technical Skills

Non-technical or “soft” skills are crucial for many roles, especially leadership or project-based positions. Use concrete examples that show the results of your efforts.

• Before: “Team Leader”
• After: “Coordinated a team of 10 students to design and build a robot on a strict 6-week timeline; managed project deadlines and resources, leading the team to place in the top 5 at the regional competition.”

This demonstrates that you can manage both people and projects, a key skill in any job.

• Before: “Leadership”
• After: “Demonstrated leadership by mentoring younger team members, facilitating meetings, and resolving team conflicts, resulting in improved team performance and morale.”

By emphasizing outcomes, you show that your leadership isn’t just theoretical—it’s effective.

Tailoring Your Resume for Specific Opportunities

Customizing your resume for each job you apply to will greatly improve your chances of getting noticed. Here’s how you can tailor your FIRST experience for specific opportunities:

1. Read Job Descriptions Carefully: Identify the technical and non-technical skills emphasized in the job posting. Employers often look for keywords like “project management,” “collaboration,” or “C++ programming.”
2. Match Your FIRST Experience to the Job: Highlight the most relevant aspects of your FIRST experience for each role. For example, if a position requires strong project management skills, focus on how you led your team through the six-week robot build cycle, managed deadlines, and adapted to challenges.

Tip: Take advantage of FIRST-specific resume opportunities, such as submitting your resume to the FIRST California Resume Book or other FIRST Alumni Network opportunities.

Next Steps for Career Advancement

FIRST has equipped you with a unique and diverse skill set that’s highly relevant to the workforce. By effectively showcasing both technical and non-technical skills on your resume, you can stand out in a crowded job market. Remember to:

• Quantify your achievements where possible.
• Tailor your resume to the specific role you’re applying for.
• Use concrete examples to demonstrate your abilities.

Now that you’ve got the tools to create a standout resume, take the next step. Update your resume today and consider submitting it to the FIRST California Resume Book for a chance to be noticed by top employers like Qualcomm. Submission deadline is December 13, 2024.