The commitment
Eight hours a week for about eight months. Six of them Monday and Wednesday evenings, 6–9 PM; the other two are flexible lab hours students schedule themselves, Mon–Sat, 10 AM – 3 PM.
Eligibility
Applicants must be at least 18 years old by the first day of instruction. We cannot consider applicants who will not have reached 18 by that date.
The credential
Micro-certifications and the SMART Certification are awarded by the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy — professional credentials, not university course credit. Students earn each by meeting the Academy's assessments.
About us
Iron Cross is a faith-driven workforce development lab; we train robotics technicians inside a Christian understanding of work and character. You do not need to be a Christian to train here. We admit any qualified applicant and we do not proselytize.
Applications closed
The cohort one deadline has passed
We are no longer accepting applications for cohort one, and the application form has been taken down. Applications already submitted are unaffected — if you have sent one and not heard back, write to [email protected].
The next cohort forms in February 2027. Announcements come in December — the application window, open-house dates, and how to apply.
Get December announcementsWhat’s next
What happens next
Cohort one is settled and begins instruction on 21 September 2026. Planning for the next cohort starts this autumn: we announce the application window, open-house dates, and how to apply in December, and the cohort forms in February 2027.
Want to be told when applications reopen? Sign up for announcements, or contact Randy Caldejon at [email protected].