People of STEAM: Meet Fermin

Fermin is a proud alum of FIRST^® Robotics Competition Team 3478 “LamBot” who has taken his FIRST^®-gained skills to pursue a career as the Head of Mexico Operations at West Coast Products. Moved by the impact of his own FIRST experience, he now gives back as a mentor to FIRST Robotics Competition Team 6017 “Cyberius” and volunteers as a FIRST Technical Advisor Assistant at in and off-season events. 

Keep reading to learn more about Fermin and how he is using his FIRST experience to make an impact at West Coast Products and on the next generation of innovators and changemakers.

FIRST Staff: Can you share some information about your current role at West Coast Products?

Fermin: At West Coast Products, my goal is simple: help robotics teams build better robots while making high-quality engineering resources more available. I work with teams across Mexico by providing technical support, engineering guidance, and improving access to quality parts that help bring their ideas to life. I also help bridge the language barrier by supporting teams in Spanish, making technical knowledge easier to understand and apply. I love that my role combines engineering, problem-solving, and mentorship, allowing me to give back to the program that shaped who I am today.

FIRST Staff: What is your favorite part of your current role as Head of Mexico Operations at West Coast Products?

Fermin: Honestly, my favorite part is that this doesn’t feel like work most days. I’m doing what I love, what I grew up doing, and making a living from it too. I get to help robotics teams every day, whether that’s solving technical problems, sharing engineering knowledge, or simply being part of their journey. That’s an incredible feeling.

FIRST Staff: What is the hardest part of your job?

Fermin: The hardest part of my job is that no two days look the same. One day I might be answering technical questions, the next I’m visiting robotics teams, preparing educational resources, or working from wherever I happen to be that day, whether that’s a school, an airport, or my family’s home back in San Luis. It requires me to constantly adapt, stay organized, and switch between different ways of thinking. While that can be challenging, it’s also one of my favorite parts of the job because it keeps me learning and connected to the community I support.

FIRST Staff: How do you use STEAM skills in everyday work/life?

Fermin: I’ve always enjoyed creating things, regardless of the medium. Sometimes it’s a robot, other times it’s a song, a photograph, a presentation, or even a community. I love the process of taking an idea that only exists in my head and turning it into something real. STEAM and FIRST have given me the tools to do that. Engineering teaches me how to build things that work, while creative projects teach me how to communicate those ideas in a way people remember. I’ve found that the best projects often need both, and that’s a mindset I carry into everything I create.

FIRST Staff: Can you share your thoughts on the impact of your personal/professional work in STEAM?

Fermin: I believe our responsibility as educators is to leave systems better than we found them and help others do the same. To me, that means helping people understand not just what works, but why it works, so they can keep building. Whether I’m mentoring a team, developing educational initiatives, or expanding access to engineering resources, I hope my work helps others go further than they could have on their own. If they someday do the same for someone else, then the impact continues.

FIRST Staff: Who is a “Person of STEAM” who inspires you?

Fermin: One person who has had a tremendous impact on me is Lino Corlay. When I was in high school, he was already encouraging students to become better engineers, mentors, and volunteers. After I moved to Monterrey, he was one of the first people to reach out and invite me to volunteer. He introduced me to FIRST and continues to mentor me as I train to become a FIRST Technical Advisor. Beyond his passion for FIRST and engineering, Lino has shown me what resilience truly looks like. He reminds me that leadership isn’t about titles, it’s about serving others, creating opportunities, and never giving up. I have no doubt that one day we’ll be running fields together again

FIRST Staff: If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Fermin: Fear has a quiet voice. It rarely tells you to quit; instead, it tells you to wait—for a better moment, more confidence, or certainty that may never come. The truth is, some of life’s greatest opportunities are lost not because we failed, but because we stayed silent. If your heart knows something is worth saying, building, or pursuing, don’t let fear make the decision for you. Take the step anyway.

FIRST Staff: Do you have a message you want to share for students who are participating in FIRST today?

Fermin: FIRST will teach you how to build robots, but more importantly, it will teach you how to build yourself. It will challenge you to solve problems you never thought you could solve, work alongside people with different ideas, and discover strengths you didn’t know you had. I believe our responsibility isn’t just to build better robots, but to leave systems better than we found them and help others do the same. Life will eventually ask you to put those lessons into practice. It won’t always look like a robot, but it will always require curiosity, resilience, humility, and kindness. Be genuinely interested in people. Some of the best opportunities in life begin with a simple conversation. The competition season will come to a close. The robot built for the season’s match will eventually be retired. But the person you become, and the people you meet along the way, will stay with you long after the final match.

Are you a person of STEAM? Share your story with #PeopleofSTEAM on social media or send us your story at marketing@firstinspires.org.