Education · 1 of 5

The path

A four-year engineering degree is the entry ticket. What you built outside class decides which job you get.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 11 and 12

   Calculus, physics and any computer class. Join the school robotics competition team if there is one, and build something that moves.

2. 2

   Bachelor's degree

   4 years

   Robotics engineering, or mechanical, electrical or computer engineering with robotics electives. Check the program is accredited by ABET (the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology).

3. 3

   Internships and a co-op

   During the degree

   Two or three summers, or a six-month co-op placement. This is the single biggest factor in getting hired.

4. 4

   First job

   Year 4 or 5

   Controls engineer, automation engineer, test engineer or robotics software engineer. You will spend a year learning how real hardware fails.

5. 5

   Master's, optional

   1 to 2 more years

   Needed for perception, autonomy and research roles. Many people do it part time while an employer pays.