Industry News
Chicago High School Prepares for Job Shortages
While the possibility of a recession looms in our economic future, the need for skilled manufacturing workers
continues to be strong. Nevertheless, there is hope.
Austin Polytechnical Academy is located on Chicago's west side. It is a high school devoted to preparing students
for manufacturing careers and is a project of the Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council, a coalition of labor,
government, business, education, and community leaders. The school was created under Mayor Richard Daley's Renaissance
2010 project. In a former life, it was known as Austin High School.
At the end of February, a team of nine freshmen students finished 9th out of 42 teams at the FIRST Robotics Midwest
Regional Competition held at the UIC Pavilion.
This FIRST Robotics Competition was created by Dean Kamen, an inventor and entrepreneur who founded the Segway PT,
a two-wheeled people-moving vessel used by local law enforcement in downtown Chicago.
Only 12 of the 42 teams competing were from Chicago, the rest came from all over the U.S. to participate. The top
three winners of the Midwest regional including those awarded the Chairman's Award, the Rookie All-Star Award, and the
Engineering Inspiration Award will go on to compete in the FIRST Championship held April 17-19 at the Georgia Dome in
Atlanta.
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