Eighteen Rutherford Technology High School and Maitland High School students with an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics saw international groups, universities and high school students create a robot in the FIRST Robotics competition in Sydney.

More than 1800 students from around the world will compete in the competition this year in 70 teams.

Macquarie University started the competition to spread the love of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and entice youth into these careers.

They were also given the chance to meet the teams competing and find out what it’s like to build a robot and take part in the global competition. 

Then they sat in on a Google careers of the future talk which left them wanting to enhance their skills.

“It’s inspired them and it’s empowered them, they want to get involved,” Youth Express special programmes coordinator Iain Yule said.

“They’ve learned to get a modern day computing education they need to learn coding and know how to use it.”

Mr Yule said Youth Express would like to create a team to compete in the event next year, but said it would need the support of industry.

He said the beginnings of robotics were already being used in the Hunter and it had unlimited potential in the future.

“The Hunter Valley already has trucks in the coal mines that are driverless – look at the traditional electrical trade, they need to know the practical side of it but they also need to know computer code and they have to be able to write computer code,” Mr Yule said.

“These students are already interested in computers and making robots.

“They can see opportunities for themselves in this field and they want to learn more. 

“They can start learning more at school through TAFE – they can already make a web page but now they have to think about being able to type in the html code and using coding programs.”