Hunter TAFE, in conjunction with Newcastle Library, has held its 'Bots in the Books' robotics course for school students aged 12 to 18.

Course Coordinator and TAFE teacher, David Leask, told the Newcastle Herald the course attracted bright, gifted kids and encouraged them to embrace their creativity.

"What they're learning is that maths and science that they learn has relevance," He said.

One of the attendees, Josh Howard, 12 of Wards River from the Upper Hunter Region,  learned how to dismantle and rebuild machinery, as well as pick up a whiteboard marker with a robotic arm.

On his return to the family farm Josh surprised many including his grandfather when he fixed the engine for a fire fighting pump.

"My grandfather had an engine he really wanted me to fix a few months ago," the year six student said.

Students were also encouraged to think outside the square. One who devised a randomised lighting system was challenged to name a use for it.

"I told him, if you're trying to drive a machine on an unknown, you could create a catastrophic event," said David Leask. "So what can you use it for?"

Showing off his creative skills in coding and robotics, the student thought about it and replied with "'disco lights".

Bots in the Books prepares students for a brave new world that includes burgeoning areas such as robotics and drone technology.