FIRST® Certified Professional Development
FIRST Certified Professional Development is an immersive learning experience that will help you acquire or strengthen your facilitation skills for project-based learning and 21st-century skills such as creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork in an active learning environment. Each course is led by a FIRST Certified Trainer and provides the necessary tools to bring FIRST programs to your classroom or as a structured afterschool program. Certificates for continuing education or professional development credit are provided following the completion of the session.
During your chosen session, you will use hands-on practice through modeling and demonstration of STEM learning objectives within FIRST programs. Each session is designed to:
- Apply and facilitate a project-based learning environment through active engagement
- Grow your knowledge, skills, and methods of STEM and playful learning teaching methods
- Practice student elements of your FIRST program and best practices for implementation
- Learn changes in teaching practice towards student engagement, interacting with the community, and increasing rigor and relevance in your curriculum
FIRST Certified Professional Development is available in three ways.
- Remote – Join a cohort via our flexible learning option that features live collaboration using remote meeting tools and includes hands-on learning using your materials.
- In-Person Regional – Join us at various locations around the U.S. no need to have your own materials, we provide everything you need.
- School District On-Site Training – Custom session to meet the needs, program levels, and educator quantity of your choice. Pricing may differ from list pricing. Request a quote.
Program Levels and Pricing
- FIRST® LEGO® League Discover (grades PreK-1) – 1 Day $300 per seat
- FIRST® LEGO® League Explore (grades 2-4) – 2 Days $600 per seat
- FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge (grades 4-8) – 2 Days $600 per seat
- FIRST® Tech Challenge (grades 7-12) – 2 Days $600 per seat
- FIRST Tech Challenge Academy (grades 7-12) – 5 Days $2500 per seat
Self-Paced Trainings:
FIRST Education has created free training resources on the FIRST programs for coaches, mentors, and teachers. These training courses are located within the FIRST Thinkscape Learning Management System. If you don’t have an account, choose a link below to register for an account and join a course. Once you have an account, you can join additional courses by entering the course codes.
- FIRST Tech Challenge Class Pack training course- Register for a new account and join the course. If you are an existing user, choose Join a Course and enter: 2BB5BA35.
- FIRST LEGO League Challenge Class Pack training course- Register for a new account and join the course. If you are an existing user, choose Join a Course and enter: CD11F986.
- FIRST LEGO League Challenge Team training course- Register for a new account and join the course. If you are an existing user, choose Join a Course and enter: FE6F60CE.
- FIRST LEGO League Explore Class Pack training course- Register for a new account and join the course. If you are an existing user, choose Join a Course and enter: DC31D1E8.
- FIRST LEGO League Explore Team training course- Register for a new account and join the course. If you are an existing user, choose Join a Course and enter: 4987CA8E.
- FIRST LEGO League Discover Class Pack training course- Register for a new account and join the course: If you are an existing user, choose Join a Course and enter: D2F63C1F.
Learn more about FIRST Certified Professional Development
Upcoming In-Person and Remote Sessions - Note: Session registration closes prior to the cohort start date. Remote and in-person have different course descriptions; please read the course descriptions carefully.
FIRST LEGO League Discover (grades PreK-1)
During FIRST LEGO League Discover professional development, you'll learn how to engage children ages 4-6 and ignite their natural curiosity with activities that build habits of learning and introduce STEM concepts using LEGO® DUPLO® bricks. .
$300 per seat
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September 2023 – FIRST Headquarters, NH
September 20 (Wednesday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm ET (60-minute lunch)$300 per seat
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August Remote Cohort – one six-and-a-half-hour day (6 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
August 26 (Saturday), 11:30 am – 6:00 pm ET
September Remote Cohort 1 – one six-and-a-half-hour day (6 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
September 11 (Monday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
September Remote Cohort 2 – one six-and-a-half-hour day (6 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
September 23 (Saturday), 11:30 am – 6:00 pm ET
September Remote Cohort 3 – three consecutive two-hour sessions (6 hours)
September 26 (Tuesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
September 27 (Wednesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
September 28 (Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
October Remote Cohort 1 – one six-and-a-half-hour day (6 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
October 6 (Friday), 9:30 am – 4:00 pm ET
October Remote Cohort 2 – one six-and-a-half-hour day (6 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
October 14 (Saturday), 11:30 am – 6:00 pm ET
October Remote Cohort 3 – three consecutive two-hour sessions (6 hours)
October 17 (Tuesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
October 18 (Wednesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
October 19 (Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
January 2024 Remote Cohort 1 – one six-and-a-half-hour day (6 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
January 13 (Saturday), 11:30 am – 6:00 pm ET
January 2024 Remote Cohort 2 – three consecutive two-hour sessions (6 hours)
January 16 (Tuesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
January 17 (Wednesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
January 18 (Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
January 2024 Remote Cohort 3 – one six-and-a-half-hour day (6 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
January 26 (Friday), 9:30 am – 4:00 pm ET
February 2024 Remote Cohort 1 – three consecutive two-hour sessions (6 hours)
February 6 (Tuesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
February 7 (Wednesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
February 8 (Thursday), 7pm – 9pm EST
February 2024 Remote Cohort 2 – one six-and-a-half-hour day (6 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
February 10 (Saturday), 11:30 am – 6:00 pm ET
February 2024 Remote Cohort 3 – one six-and-a-half-hour day (6 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
February 12 (Monday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
FIRST LEGO League Explore (grades 2-4)
During FIRST LEGO League Explore professional development, you'll learn how to engage students in grades 2-4 and harness their natural curiosity to investigate real-world problems, learn to design and code, and create innovative solutions made with LEGO® bricks.
In Person Regional Sessions - 12 hours
$600 per seat
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June 2023 - Forest Lake Academy in Orlando, Florida
June 14 (Wednesday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm ET (60-minute lunch)
June 15 (Thursday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm ET (60-minute lunch)
July 2023 – Evergreen Country Day School, Denver, CO --
New -This will be a combined Discover & Explorer delivery
July 6 (Thursday), 8:30 am – 5:30 pm MT (60-minute lunch)
July 7 (Friday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm MT (60-minute lunch)
August 2023 – Miramonte Christian School, Los Altos, California
New -This will be a combined Discover & Explorer delivery
August 2 (Wednesday), 8:30 am – 5:30 pm PT (60-minute lunch)
August 3 (Thursday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm PT (60-minute lunch)
August/September 2023 – Doolittle Institute, Niceville, FL
August 28 (Monday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm CT (60-minute lunch)
August 29 (Tuesday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm CT (60-minute lunch)
September 2023 – FIRST Headquarters, NH
September 18 (Monday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm ET (60-minute lunch)
September 19 (Tuesday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm ET (60-minute lunch)
Remote Sessions - 12 hours
$600 per seat
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Remote Sessions - Remote course description.
August Remote Cohort 1 – two six-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
August 7 (Monday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
August 8 (Tuesday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
August Remote Cohort 2 – two six-and-a-half-hour day (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
August 19 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
August 26 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
September Remote Cohort – six two-hour sessions, two days a week for three weeks (14 hours)
September 12 & September 14 (Tuesday/Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
September 19 & September 21 (Tuesday/Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
September 26 & September 28 (Tuesday/Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
October Remote Cohort 1 – two six-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
October 5 (Thursday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
October 6 (Friday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
October Remote Cohort 2 – two six-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
October 7 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
October 14 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
January 2024 Remote Cohort – six two-hour sessions, two days a week for three weeks (14 hours)
January 16 & January 18 (Tuesday/Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
January 23 & January 25 (Tuesday/Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
January 30 & February 1 (Tuesday/Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
February 2024 Remote Cohort 1 – two six-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
February 3 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
February 10 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
February 2024 Remote Cohort 2 – two six-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
February 15 (Thursday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
February 16 (Friday), 11:00 am – 5:30 pm ET
FIRST LEGO League Challenge (grades 4-8)
During FIRST LEGO League Challenge professional development, you'll learn how to engage students in grades 4-8 in research, problem-solving, engineering, and building and coding a LEGO® robot.
$600 per seat
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June 2023 - Forest Lake Academy in Orlando, Florida
June 14 (Wednesday), 8:30 am – 5:30 pm ET (60-minute lunch)
June 15 (Thursday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm ET (60-minute lunch)
July 2023 – Evergreen Country Day School, Denver, CO
July 6 (Thursday), 8:30 am – 5:30 pm MT (60-minute lunch)
July 7 (Friday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm MT (60-minute lunch)
August 2023 – Miramonte Christian School, Los Altos, California
August 2 (Wednesday), 8:30 am – 5:30 pm PT (60-minute lunch)
August 3 (Thursday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm PT (60-minute lunch)
August/September 2023 – Doolittle Institute, Niceville, FL
August 28 (Monday), 8:30 am – 5:30 pm CT (60-minute lunch)
August 29 (Tuesday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm CT (60-minute lunch)
September 2023 – FIRST Headquarters, NH
September 18 (Monday), 8:30 am – 5:30 pm ET (60-minute lunch)
September 19 (Tuesday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm ET (60-minute lunch)
$600 per seat
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August Remote Cohort 1 – two seven-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
August 7 (Monday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
August 8 (Tuesday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
August Remote Cohort 2 – two seven-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
August 19 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
August 26 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
September Remote Cohort 1 – seven two-hour sessions, two days a week for three-and-a-half weeks (14 hours)
September 11 & September 13 (Monday/Wednesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
September 18 & September 20 (Monday/Wednesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
September 25 & September 27 (Monday/Wednesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
October 2 (Monday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
September Remote Cohort 2 – two seven-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
September 16 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
September 23 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
October Remote Cohort – two seven-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
October 5 (Thursday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
October 6 (Friday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
January 2024 Remote Cohort – seven two-hour sessions, two days a week for three-and-a-half weeks (14 hours)
January 16 & January 18 (Tuesday/Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
January 23 & January 25 (Tuesday/Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
January 30 & February 1 (Tuesday/Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
February 6 (Tuesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
February 2024 Remote Cohort 1 – two seven-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
February 3 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
February 10 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
February 2024 Remote Cohort 2 – two seven-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
February 15 (Thursday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
February 16 (Friday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
FIRST Tech Challenge (grades 7-12)
During FIRST Tech Challenge professional development, you'll learn how to engage students in grades 7-12 in the engineering design process and career-ready practices through team-driven robot building and programming.
$600 per seat
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June 2023 - Forest Lake Academy in Orlando, Florida
June 14 (Wednesday), 8:30 am – 5:30 pm ET (60-minute lunch)
June 15 (Thursday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm ET (60-minute lunch)
July 2023 – Evergreen Country Day School, Denver, CO
July 6 (Thursday), 8:30 am – 5:30 pm MT (60-minute lunch)
July 7 (Friday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm MT (80-minute lunch)
August 2023 – Miramonte Christian School, Los Altos, California
August 2 (Wednesday), 8:30 am – 5:30 pm PT (60-minute lunch)
August 3 (Thursday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm PT (60-minute lunch)
August/September 2023 – Doolittle Institute, Niceville, FL
August 28 (Monday), 8:30 am – 5:30 pm CT (60-minute lunch)
August 29 (Tuesday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm CT (60-minute lunch)
September 2023 – FIRST Headquarters, NH
September 21 (Thursday), 8:30 am – 5:30 pm ET (60-minute lunch)
September 22 (Friday), 8:30 am – 3:30 pm ET (60-minute lunch)
$600 per seat
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August Remote Cohort 1 – two seven-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
August 7 (Monday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
August 8 (Tuesday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
August Remote Cohort 2 – two seven-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
August 19 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
August 26 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
September Remote Cohort 1 – seven two-hour sessions, two days a week for three-and-a-half weeks (14 hours)
September 12 & September 14 (Tuesday/Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
September 19 & September 21 (Tuesday/Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
September 26 & September 28 (Tuesday/Thursday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
October 3 (Tuesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
September Remote Cohort 2 – two seven-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
September 16 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
September 23 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
October Remote Cohort – two seven-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
October 5 (Thursday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
October 6 (Friday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
January 2024 Remote Cohort – seven two-hour sessions, two days a week for three-and-a-half weeks (14 hours)
January 17 (Wednesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
January 22 & January 24 (Monday/Wednesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
January 29 & January 31 (Monday/Wednesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
February 5 & February 7 (Monday/Wednesday), 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm ET
February 2024 Remote Cohort 1 – two seven-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
February 3 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
February 10 (Saturday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
February 2024 Remote Cohort 2 – 2 seven-and-a-half-hour days (14 contact hours, 30-minute lunch)
February 15 (Thursday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
February 16 (Friday), 11:00 am – 6:30 pm ET
FIRST Tech Challenge Academy: By the end of your five-day, 40-hour learning experience, you'll have the fundamental tools you need to bring the FIRST experience to young people in the classroom or structured after-school environments.
$2500 per seat
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June 2023 - FIRST Tech Challenge Academy - Forest Lake Academy in Orlando, Florida
June 12 (Monday), 8:00 am – 5:00 pm ET
June 13 (Tuesday), 8:00 am – 5:00p m ET
June 14 (Wednesday), 8:00 am – 5:00 pm ET
June 15 (Thursday), 8:00 am – 5:00 pm ET
June 16 (Friday), 8:00 am – 5:00 pm ET
Register for FIRST Certified Professional Development
FIRST Certified Trainers Application Now CLOSED
Please look for the application again next year, 2023. Certified trainers deliver professional development for FIRST programs. We provide STEM professional development related to FIRST programs and curricula in all 50 U.S. States and Canada.