About the Event | VEX Robotics World Championship
The VEX Robotics World Championship took place in St. Louis, Missouri, April 21-30, 2026.
Industry Certifications
Pre-Engineering and Robotics Industry Certifications
The RECF Certifications Program is a response to a global need for more students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
The RECF provides industry certifications for students in engineering-related programs and robotics clubs. These certifications were designed by a team of accomplished professionals composed of engineers, college professors, and high school teachers.
Note: RECF Pre-Engineering and Robotics certifications are valid for 4 years after receiving the certifications. All certifications now have an expiration date listed on the certificate upon completion.
Additional Information
Certifications
Pre-engineering Certifications
The Pre-Engineering Certification is earned once a student has completed approximately 150 hours of education and training in Pre-Engineering, Robotics, or related STEM technologies, and has successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering and 2 additional modules from the list below. A certificate valid for 4 years from the date of completion will be issued to a student who meets this criteria.
- Aerospace Module
- Chemical Module
- Civil Module
- Computer Science and Engineering Module (Programming)
- Electrical Module
- Engineering Technology Module
- Manufacturing Technology Module
- Mechanical Module
Robotics Certifications
The Robotics Certification is earned once a student has completed approximately 150 hours of education and training in Pre-Engineering, Robotics, or related STEM technologies, and has successfully passed the modules listed below. A certificate valid for 4 years from the date of completion will be issued to a student who meets this criteria.
- Fundamentals of Engineering
- Computer Science and Engineering Module (Programming)
- Mechanical Module
- Electrical Module
Students who complete the Robotics Certification will also gain the Pre-Engineering Certification after completing 3 of the 4 required modules.
Robotics in Manufacturing Fundamentals
The RMF certification consists of 1 test for students to complete. This certification was created in partnership with SME. Educators can utilize the Body of Knowledge document to prepare students for the certification.
The Robotics in Manufacturing Fundamentals certification requires a unique voucher code for any student needing to retake the certification. The retake vouchers can be purchased at a reduced price.
Resources
Pricing
Pre-engineering
Modules
Modules
Quantity
Price
1
$50
10
$500
25
$1,250
50
$2,500
100
$4,500
200
$9,000
* 10% discount when you buy 100 or more certifications.
Robotics
Modules
Modules
Quantity
Price
1
$60
10
$600
25
$1,500
50
$3,000
100
$5,400
200
$10,800
* 10% discount when you buy 100 or more certifications.
Robotics in Manufacturing Fundamentals
Quantity
Price
1
$55
10
$550
25
$1,375
50
$2,750
100
$5,500
200
$11,000
Approved States
Approved State
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Florida
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Curriculum & Professional Endorsements
Curriculum Suggestions
The RECF does not require curriculum to successfully complete the exams. Whereas the REC Foundation does not require curriculum, the following resources are available for teachers to consider.
Project Lead The Way (Registration and Training costs vary) – PLTW Engineering curriculum is broken into year-long classes with national standards, lesson plans and all digital resources included in the school registration. All the RECF Certification standards are found in the PLTW curriculum resources.
ITEEA – International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (Curriculum Fees & Optional Training costs vary) – The Engineering byDesign™️ (EbD™️) high school curriculum integrates STEM concepts with hands-on, project-based learning that align with national standards through collaborative projects and real-world problem-solving.
Textbooks
- Engineering Fundamentals: Design, Principles, and Careers, 2nd Edition; By: Ryan A. Brown, Joshua W. Brown, and Michael Berkeihiser
- Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering, 6th Edition; By: Cengage Learning
Endorsements
Northrop Grumman Foundation
Northrop Grumman is proud to endorse the RECF Pre-Engineering and Robotics Industry Certifications. These rigorous engineering certifications help students identify their strengths, weaknesses, and aptitude for any area of engineering that may interest them. We are excited and impressed with the breadth of coverage these industry certifications cover, and the depth of knowledge required to achieve the certification.
Northrop Grumman employs many college interns and recent graduates. This new credential will help set these students apart from others, and demonstrate not only their knowledge and aptitude for engineering, but also their dedication to the field by having taken this extra step to demonstrate their ability.”
These certifications are becoming widely recognized for their benefits to students as well as employers. For the non-college bound student, the certifications demonstrate basic knowledge and occupational skills in the specific areas of engineering, setting them above their peers for entry-level positions. The employers gain confidence that these new employees are ready for the career ahead of them. Combined with an employer-based continuing education program the certification can be an excellent pathway for a college degree and engineering career.
The industry certifications for the college-bound student provides the opportunity to make more informed decisions regarding their higher education focus, and also is an outstanding achievement for a college application or competitive internships.
We applaud the REC Foundation for investing the time to develop its industry certification program.
Sincerely,
–Sandra Evers-Manly,
Northrop Grumman Foundation
Northrop Grumman Foundation
International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA)
“ITEEA believes that the VEX Robotics experiences exemplify and support learning for Integrative STEM Education (I-STEM). The robotics challenges and industry certifications provide real-world examples that assist technology and engineering educators (and all others in the STEM field) to understand and implement engaging and dynamic instructional practices K-12 and beyond to benefit ALL students!”
Harris Corporation
“Harris views the REC Foundation Pre-Engineering and Robotics Certifications as a very positive step towards alleviating the national STEM shortfall and fully endorses the program… Having the ability to identify candidate’s strengths as related general knowledge of fundamentals of engineering and more specifically to electrical, mechanical, software, chemical, aerospace and other areas the student can seek to certify in, will be advantageous to placing a new employee.”
–Jim Clamons,
Vice President of Engineering,
Harris Corporation
–Jim Clamons,
Vice President of Engineering,
Harris Corporation
CareerSource Brevard
“Workforce projections for 2014 by the U.S. Department of Labor show that 15 of the 20 fastest growing occupations require significant science or mathematics training to successfully compete for a job. By supporting REC, you are creating a conduit of education and support for our teachers, students, and parents necessary to overcome the project deficit in future STEM skilled workers.”
–Lisa Rice,
President,
CareerSource Brevard
–Lisa Rice,
President,
CareerSource Brevard
