Hey there, future innovators! In the evolving landscape of education, particularly in STEM, it is crucial to continue to inspire and engage the next wave of young minds.
Enter Adelaide Robotics Academy, where creativity meets technology and students dive headfirst into hands-on learning. This isn’t just any old classroom; it’s a transformative journey that equips kids with the skills to tackle real-world challenges. And guess what? Enrolmy is playing a key role in making STEM education more accessible, engaging, and inspiring for its students.
Adelaide Robotics Academy: A Vision for Future Innovators
Adelaide Robotics Academy's story began with a simple yet profound experience shared between Daniel Manu and his son—building a robot they spotted in a Lego Subscription magazine. This moment not only sparked their interest in robotics but also planted the seed for what would become a significant educational initiative for other children and families. Together they built the robot, programmed it, and fell in love with the whole process. It wasn’t long before Daniel signed up at Carnegie Mellon University to learn more about robotics and programming.
In July 2017, Daniel started a small robotics class for kids in their previous hometown of Warrnambool, Australia. For a small town, robotics classes were a novelty and a hit for the local kids. The classes were often full, with 50 kids desperate to learn.
Word of mouth spread fast. In December 2018 Daniel and his family moved to Adelaide and the school became Adelaide Robotics Academy.
Playing the Waiting Game for Payments
In the early years of the business, Daniel initially relied on a conventional ticketing site to take bookings. But it wasn’t a catch-all system, so he was forced to do several things manually – like signing in and out and reconciling his accounts.
The onset of COVID-19 further exacerbated these challenges by delaying income from online programmes due to the ticketing system only charging parents once the ‘event’ had run. This was highly problematic when the event was actually ten weeks’ worth of classes. That meant ten weeks of no income but still having all the expenses of moving the technology and teaching online.
The Enrolmy Solution
Sick of playing the waiting game for crucial payments, Daniel started researching other booking management options. And this was when, at an opportune time he received an email from the Enrolmy team! Daniel booked a Zoom meeting with one of our sales consultant and the rest was history.
Adelaide Robotics Academy started using Enrolmy at the beginning of Term Three, 2020. Daniel says;
He explains:
“This platform does everything for me. I’m still amazed every day. It does the booking, they send me the money, and I can send emails to parents. I can sign kids in and sign out. I love it.”
Cutting Back on Admin
Before Enrolmy, booking kids into activities was an arduous process that would take a whole day of copying and pasting the details from the previous term. Now it’s easy for parents to enrol their kids. This efficiency allowed Daniel to save up to eight hours weekly on administrative duties—time he could now invest in enhancing his expertise and open more kids’ minds to the possibilities of technology. An important endeavour, as Daniel says we’re in an age where “our reliance on tech grows every day.”
Efficient Record-Keeping
Enrolmy has also helped him streamline the way he captures, keeps and manages his information. Previously he would have ten different documents; now it’s all in one centralised space that he can access anywhere, anytime. Enrolmy's unified information management system made the difficult task of handling numerous documents easier by introducing a single, easy-to-access platform.
Moreover, it facilitated innovative programmes like The Rays—a complimentary initiative for gifted girls addressing gender disparity in STEM fields. Using Enrolmy’s Team Sorter functionality, Daniel efficiently managed expressions of interest for The Rays, ensured participants met specific criteria and set them up on waiting lists.
Streamlined Enrolments
When asked what Enrolmy feature he has found most useful, Daniel replied:
“I like that the booking system is streamlined and it’s no-nonsense. I know this because my son is enrolled in Enrolmy. When I enrol him it’s very simple and quick, so I know it’s easy for the parents. This is the most important thing. I don’t want to waste parents’ time.”
Makes it Easy to Make Changes
“Sometimes students need to move from Mondays to Wednesdays. I like that I can go on the Enrolmy website and make the changes. It will send an email to parents to confirm the booking has changed.”
What’s next for Daniel and Adelaide Robotics Academy?
Daniel’s always learning, and he’s passionate about doing all he can to prepare kids for their future careers and inspire them to engage with STEM subjects. When asked about his aspirations for Adelaide Robotics Academy, Daniel said he’s keen to keep the classes fresh and exciting by introducing new technologies – think drones and 3D printing – and take his advanced students to the next level. With Enrolmy simplifying administrative processes, he now has more time to pursue further education opportunities himself while dreaming bigger for his academy.
We love supporting providers like Adelaide Robotics Academy to deliver dynamic and inclusive classes that integrate all aspects of STEM and new technologies. We look forward to seeing Daniel continue his venture to inspire and educate a new generation of tech-wizards.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by managing your robotics academy, Enrolmy is here to help. Our platform makes it easy to handle all the details, so you can focus on inspiring the next generation of innovators.
Enrolmy streamlines various aspects of your academy, including:
- Easy Enrolment Management: Simplify the enrolment process for students.
- Efficient Booking System: Manage class schedules and bookings effortlessly.
- Seamless Payment Handling: Handle payments and invoicing without a hitch.
- Parent Communication: Keep parents informed and engaged with ease.
Interested in how Enrolmy can transform your academy’s operations?