01 · Curriculum
The five modules
Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy pre-apprenticeship curriculum, six weeks per module. Students program a real robot in the first week.
Software foundations
Program a robot: sensing, camera navigation, logic
Electrical foundations
Circuits, multimeters, a full robot e-panel
Mechanical foundations
Motors, transmissions, drivetrains, structure
Fabrication foundations
Hand tools, drawings, cut a chassis, 3D print
Robotics integration
Unpack, test and commission an industrial system
Application project
Planned during Fabrication, built in a two-week sprint
Students finish certified by 12 May. Completing all five modules earns the SMART Certification, endorsed by the ARM Institute and the National Robotics Engineering Center. Awarded by Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy, it travels to any employer, in any state.
See the full year →
02 · Cost
What it costs
Pay as you go, module by module — nothing is due up front, and if a student stops they pay only for the modules taken. Assistance is available and does not affect admission. Lab laptop, kits, tools and book are included. No one is turned away for money.
03 · Admission
Who it's for
Recent high-school graduates who work better with their hands and a real problem than with a lecture. No robotics, electronics, or programming experience required — just seriousness and reliability. Applicants must be 18 by 21 September 2026.
04 · Faculty
Who teaches it
Randy Caldejon and other qualified instructors. Randy is the founder — a Marine Corps veteran with an M.Eng. from Rensselaer who has started three technology companies. Every module is taught by a Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy–certified instructor.
05 · Logistics
How it runs
Class schedule
Mon & Wed, 6–9 PM
One hour of instruction, two hours of lab with the instructor on hand.
Open lab
Mon–Sat, 10–3
Always staffed by a lab assistant, so no one works alone.
Cohort size
6 to 12 students
Six weeks per module — 9 hours a week, about 200 hours in all.
Platform
Parallax ShieldBot + Arduino
Real kits, tools, book and hardware from night one.
Cohort one · Applications due 27 August
Six to twelve places
Instruction begins 21 September 2026. Questions and applications go to [email protected].