compete.html

---
layout: page
title: Compete
permalink: /compete/
---
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        <h1 class="header">Form a team, build a robot, compete</h1>
        <a class="button button-hero" href="#signup">Start a team</a>
      </div>
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      <h2 class="text-center">How it works</h2>
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          <img class="image" src="{{ '/images/kickstart.jpg' | prepend: site.baseurl }}" />
          <h3 class="text-center">Kickstart</h3>
          <p>
            Kickstart is around mid-October to early November. We provide you
            your kit and go some basic exercises to teach you how to use it. We
            also introduce the game you'll be playing at the competition.
          </p>
        </div>
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          <img class="image" src="{{ '/images/techday.jpg' | prepend: site.baseurl }}" />
          <h3 class="text-center">Mentoring and Tech Days</h3>
          <p>
            After Kickstart, you won't be completely on your own. We match up
            volunteers to teams for mentoring. Throughout the year we also run
            several tech days. You bring your robot, we help you get it ready
            for the competition.
          </p>
        </div>
        <div class="column s-4-12">
          <img class="image" src="{{ '/images/awards-2015.jpg' | prepend: site.baseurl }}" />
          <h3 class="text-center">The Competition</h3>
          <p>
            In the spring we host the annual Student Robotics competition. Teams
            put their robots to the test in a weekend of tinkering and matches.
            Successful teams advance into the knockout stages, and can go on to
            win prizes.
          </p>
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          <h2>Jaw-dropping moments</h2>
          <p>
            After a year of working hard on their robots, teams compete in the
            annual Student Robotics competition. Two frenzied days of
            tinkering and matches gives every team their fair share of suspense,
            heartache and triumph.
          </p>
          <p>
            Watch this video and see for yourself!
          </p>
        </div>
        <div class="column d-12-12 m-8-12">
            <iframe
                    class="center video"
                    src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/kHsveBZvQL8?rel=0"
                    width="560" height="315"
                    frameborder="0">
            </iframe>
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        <h2>Valuable skills for young people</h2>
        <p>
          Student Robotics primes participants for good careers in engineering.
          Participants assemble a team, build a robot, and compete. All the while
          gaining valuable technical and soft skills to help their future careers.
        </p>
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          <img src="{{ '/images/icons/cogs.png' | prepend: site.baseurl }}" alt=""/>
          <h3>Working as a team</h3>
          <p>
            For a team to succeed at Student Robotics, it needs to work
            together. For many participants, this is the first time they're in a
            team setting. This practical experience is invaluable for their
            future careers.
          </p>
        </div>
        <div class="column option s-4-12">
          <img src="{{ '/images/icons/computer.png' | prepend: site.baseurl }}" alt=""/>
          <h3>Writing real code</h3>
          <p>
            Without some serious code, even the most masterfully built robots
            can't do very much. With the help of our kit, teams will program
            their robot in Python to compete in the competition.
          </p>
        </div>
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          <img src="{{ '/images/icons/robot.png' | prepend: site.baseurl }}" alt=""/>
          <h3>Building a robot</h3>
          <p>
            There's nothing quite like building something and bringing it to
            life. Using our kit, teams will build a fully autonomous robot. The
            best teams pour their imagination into the design and the look of
            their robots.
          </p>
        </div>
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      <a name="signup"></a><h2>Want to compete?</h2>
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        <p>
          Entries for this year's competition have now closed, but if you would
          like to register your interest in applying for a place in a future
          competition, please enter your details below and we'll contact you once
          applications for next year's competition have opened.
        </p>
        <p class="text-heavy">
          You must be over 18 to run a Student Robotics team and so you must also be over 18 to fill in this form.
        </p>
        {% include team-signup.html %}
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      <a name="faq"></a><h2 class="text-center">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>
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          <p class="question">Who can join a team?</p>
          <p>
            Teams usually consist of 4-6 students aged 16-18, plus an adult
            team-leader who is able to take responsibility for the competitors;
            usually a teacher. However, the team doesn't necessarily need to
            represent a school, any group of 16-18 year-olds, with a responsible
            adult, can enter.
          </p>
          <p class="question">How much does it cost?</p>
          <p>
            Thanks to our sponsors, teams can enter the competition for free.
            Teams are loaned a Student Robotics kit, which we reclaim at the
            competition. Teams are also given a budget of £75 to spend on their
            robot. Costs are typically limited to transporting the team to and
            from events, plus any investment beyond the budget the team makes to
            their robot.
          </p>
          <p class="question">Do team leaders need any technical skills?</p>
          <p>
            No, team leaders don't need any technical skills. Thanks to our
            volunteers, we try to give all of our teams mentors. We also have
            the forums, and we put on tech days to help teams tackle problems.
            Team leaders only need to make sure teams get help from these
            channels when needed.
          </p>
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          <p class="question">How much time does it take?</p>
          <p>
            Kickstart and Tech Days are usually limited to one day each, while
            the competition takes a weekend. Aside from these, the amount of
            time invested is usually up to the team to decide. Many teams work
            on their robot in weekly after-school sessions, this varies with the
            academic year.
          </p>
          <p class="question">Where can I get support?</p>
          <p>
            Teams can get support from various channels. We aim to provide as
            many teams with mentors as we can. For teams without mentors, there
            are always the forums.
          </p>
          <p>Team leaders who need support can
            <a href="mailto:{{ site.emails.teams }}">contact us</a>.</p>
        </div>
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