What Expertise Is Useful
Engineering, marketing, law, finance, design, and communications are all directly relevant to what FTAD teams are doing at any given moment.
- Engineering
- Marketing
- Law
- Finance
- Design
- Communications
How You Can Help
Mentor
Ongoing · ~2 hrs/week
Build a long-term coaching relationship with a student team. Mentors provide technical guidance, help teams think through engineering decisions, and serve as a professional touchpoint throughout the season. Commitment scales to your availability.
Judge
Event day only
Evaluate teams on their engineering approach, design decisions, and on-track performance. Judges attend a single competition event and assess teams using structured rubrics. Technical background preferred but not required for all categories.
Event Staff
1–2 days per event
Keep competition days running smoothly. Event staff handle logistics, timing, paddock coordination, and student check-in. No specific technical background required — reliability and attention to detail matter most.
Because FTAD simulates a professional environment, mentors work with students managing real deadlines and partnerships, making guidance immediately applicable — not theoretical.
Mentors can work across multiple teams or schools based on expertise and availability. Time commitment is flexible — from single workshops to ongoing advisory roles. There is no fixed requirement.
Common Questions
Engineering, marketing, law, finance, design, and communications are all directly relevant to what FTAD teams are doing at any given moment.
Flexible commitment — from single workshops to ongoing advisory roles. There is no fixed requirement.
Because FTAD simulates a professional environment, mentors work with students managing real deadlines and partnerships, making guidance immediately applicable.
Yes. FTAD connects mentors with multiple teams based on expertise and availability alignment.
Contact FTAD through the website to connect with appropriate teams matching your background and schedule.