Education and Career Path Counseling

Robotics And Beyond is now offering an education and career path counseling package that can help guide you and your student in the process of finding their place in the worlds of STEM and Design. Through our personal experience and knowledge in many fields of engineering and science, and connections with our “graduates” and other professionals, we have stayed current on many career and education paths in STEM and design, and have alumni in or pursuing careers in fields of finance, economics, psychology and others.

DESIGN YOUR PATH. ENGINEER YOUR FUTURE.

Robotics And Beyond has helped an entire generation of young people to discover interest, talent and often a passion for these fields by exposing them to new topics and enabling them to explore deeply into their favorite topics. Most importantly, we help young people to gain a perspective on education paths and careers before they end their high school years. We help them to pursue their futures with a vision and excitement. Students have gained confidence through their advanced skill levels, and often through leadership and teaching roles in our organization; they have realized qualities in themselves that benefited them greatly in their pursuit of education, training and careers.

The fee for this service is $120 and includes a 90 minute session (in-person or online), a half-hour follow-up, and opportunity for additional time by appointment at $60/hour. Assistance with this fee is available. Session timing is arranged upon request. A short questionnaire must be completed prior to the first session to make the meeting as productive as possible. Grades 7 and up.

Sessions are tailored to your needs and can include:

  • Discussion of student Interests and career dreams, experience and knowledge level
  • High school course planning
  • Guidance on other resources, opportunities and personal projects to expand skill levels and prepare a body of work to support applications to schools, internships and full-time jobs.
  • Career options and connection to industry professionals for insights
  • College and non-college education paths
  • Perspective on specific colleges, universities and other training paths
  • Connection to current and recent students at colleges of interest
  • Interview strategies for college admission, internships and full-time jobs
  • Resume guidance for specific fields, careers and position levels

Sessions will take place in our office at 46 Bridge Street, New Milford, CT, or online if preferred.

Initial meetings will be with our guidance leaders, Paul Chayka (director) and/or Marguerite Chayka (curriculum advisor and instructor).

Please address all questions to info@roboticsandbeyond.org. Once you have contacted us and we have arranged a day and time to meet, we will send you a registration link. New participants with Robotics And Beyond must create a user account before registration can occur.

More about college applications

We can help you determine qualities, skills and experiences to include in your college application essays and interviews. We do not provide detailed help in the college application process, essay writing, tuition assistance applications or FAFSA, but can recommend resources for those needs.

More about college, university and professional connections

Following a one-on-one interview, we can connect you with Robotics And Beyond alumni and others who are now enrolled at a university or college or have taken a different education path in the field of your interest. We have alumni and other professionals who are well into their careers and eager to share their experiences.

In addition to training programs and apprenticeships, our graduates have attended RPI, RIT, MIT, Clarkson, WPI, Union, Champlain College, UConn, WCSU, CCSU, Northeastern Univ., Naugatuck Valley Community College, Univ. of Wisconsin, Buffalo State Univ., Kettering Univ., Univ. of Vermont, Fordham, and many other institutions. Our connections to hundreds of other individuals over the past 20 years include many more institutions and education paths. Study majors and careers include: Cybersecurity, Robotics, Mechanical and Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Networking, Animation, Graphic Design, Architecture, Civil Eng., Electrical Eng., Electrician and Electrical Technology, Machining and Fabrication, Meteorology, Mathematics, Pharmaceutical Science, Aeronautics and Aerospace, German Language, Physics, Business, Economics and others.

View our free Education and Career Paths Portal for personal insights to a variety of college and career paths.

Paul Chayka

Director and co-founder of Robotics And Beyond. B.S., M.S. Ceramic Engineering, Alfred University.

Paul’s training and 25 year career in materials engineering enable him to expose young people to concepts, methods and tools that are highly relevant to a wide range of careers, whether at established companies or start-ups, from manufacturing to research and development, from technician to senior management. His personal experience in many fields, and connections with professionals in those fields, benefits students looking to Robotics And Beyond for perspective on education paths, careers and skills important to those careers. His personal interaction with over 3,500 students at Robotics And Beyond, over 18 years, provides a wealth of perspective for interests, personalities, learning styles and individual paths spanning elementary school through high school, college and into careers. He has published 15 technical papers, delivered over 20 conference presentations in his career and is the sole or co-inventor on three patents.

Marguerite Chayka

Curriculum and Assessment, Instruction, Long Range Planning for Robotics And Beyond. B.S., M.S. Ceramic Engineering, Alfred University.

Marguerite’s 13 year career in manufacturing and product development provides a perspective of engineering spanning both manufacturing and product development. Her subsequent 20 year career as a teacher of physics, chemistry and general science (Brookfield High School, CT, retired) provides knowledge of curriculum planning, assessment and best practices of teaching in today’s world. During her teaching career, Marguerite has had direct interaction with over 2,000 students. She has coached and observed hundreds of these students as they navigated high school and college with a focus on engineering, science, mathematics and technology, settling into careers in these fields as well as in finance, education and other disciplines. With this experience, Marguerite understands the world that today’s high school students encounter and a view into their widely varied interests, paths and outcomes.

More about Robotics And Beyond

Founded in 2004 and granted 501(c)3 status in 2007, Robotics And Beyond is a unique educational resource for a wide range of topics in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and design. Our year-round programs serve 400-700 individuals annually, from age 5 to 20 and adults, who travel up to 60 miles or participate online.