Episode Overview
In this episode of the Bridge Building Podcast, Stephen chats with Emil Zankov, President of DATTA South Australia and a driving force behind the explosive growth of VEX Robotics competitions across the state.
Emil shares his journey from an early-career teacher discovering the power of robotics to leading a statewide movement that now involves more than 20 schools and over 100 teams. He discusses how robotics competitions provide belonging, motivation, and purpose for students who might otherwise disengage — often transforming attendance, confidence, and learning habits.
We also look at what makes VEX both accessible and scalable, why teachers shouldn’t fear starting small, and how associations like DATTA SA help isolated tech teachers find their people.
Key Topics:
- The real value of competitive robotics
- How collaboration flourishes even in a competitive environment
- Strategies for getting school leadership on board
- Ways robotics connects students across schools, sectors, and backgrounds
- Advice for teachers considering starting a team
Links Mentioned:
- VEX Robotics: vex.com
- Robotics Education & Competition Foundation: Search “RECF Foundation”
🎧 Listen & Subscribe
About the Bridge Building Podcast
“This is the place where we dissect and then discover the many ways ITD teachers all over this country are using their passion to create passionate students. We talk of measuring and manipulating a multitude of materials of design and divergent thought, of creation with our minds and with our hands. And most of all, we talk of growing great young people because of course that is what we do.”
So what does that mean other than I like to show off my alliteration skills? Since coming back to teaching a few years ago the thing that strikes me most, and frankly scared me most is how lonely this job is. How little we know about what is happening in our subject area. The classroom next door, a class in the next school, let alone the next town are a mystery to me. I know there are teachers out there doing incredible things and this (the podcast) is a way for me to find out and be inspired. I would like to invite you along to listen and learn, to be inspired by some of the sensational teachers I speak to on the “Bridge Building Podcast – from technology to the trades”
About the Podcast Host
Stephen Anderson is a Design Technology, Trade Training and accidental Science teacher at a small high school 2 hours North West of Brisbane.
Over To You
If you know someone who is doing something spectacular or just great fun in design and tech or in trade training, I would love to know about them.
Contact me through my email osaerial@gmail.com
Music by:
Viola Pink