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Skill Samurai

WHO ARE WE?

Skill Samurai is a STEM program with a mission to prepare children at an early age for the changing workplace infrastructure in the future and help to mitigate the severe shortage of STEM employees in the workforce. A staggering 50% of current jobs will be replaced with technology by 2025; however the public education system does not have the programs in place to adequately prepare students for emerging careers in tech-related fields. They provide a clear solution to this problem by offering Career Technical education to children ages 7-18 that build interest, excitement, and requisite skills for not just the jobs that exist today, but for those that will be in demand in the future.

Why US?

• 1. The ONLY Brick & Mortar and On-the-Go STEM Model: Unlike many other STEM programs that offer only either mobile partnerships or brick & mortar facility, Skill Samurai is the ONLY STEM franchise for children ages 7-18 to offer both. Their mobile, on-the-go partnerships are secured by renting temporary spaces, such as churches, schools, community centers, and existing complementary businesses. Owners can choose if they want to begin their business with only the mobile aspect, the brick & mortar learning facility, or both!
  
  2. In-Demand Curriculum: The need for advanced IT and programming is continuing to increase. There are currently 1.4 million open computing jobs but only 400,000 computer-science graduates with the skills to fill them. Skill Samurai prepares students for the jobs that will be in demand in the future by focusing on real programming languages as opposed to drag-and-drop programs other STEM academies use to simplify coding processes. This future-focused vision allows them to constantly develop and create new classes, ensuring that Skill Samurai Learning Centers will always be relevant, current, and their curriculum is updated every 6 months to keep up with ever-changing technology. Supplemental education is a need-based recession-resilient service as parents will always continue to support their children's future.
  
  3. Effortless Staffing: Skill Samurai is extremely easy to operate with very few staff members. Because they implement a self-directed curriculum, a ratio of 1 teacher to 10 students is sufficient. They also have a successful, proven model in place to hire university and college computer science students as teachers and coaches, and their locations can be operated with 1-3 part-time employees. Other STEM concepts require around 25. In addition to that, no prior experience is required, as they provide an extensive training program with a STEM Certification for all new owners, which is also unique to Skill Samurai.
  
  4. Complementary Revenue Streams: The combination of their brick & mortar locations and their on-the-go partnerships allow them to attract more clients, resulting in natural cross-marketing and repeat business. Because of their four main career paths offer four years of content, students are encouraged to stick with their program for a number of years, for recurring revenue. Year-round programs are signed up for on a weekly basis with a 3-month minimum commitment.
  
  5. Flexible Ownership Options: Their Owners can choose a mobile business, brick and mortar facility, or a combination for the two! Skill Samurai can be run as Owner-Operator or Semi-Absentee, depending on how the Owner prefers to be involved in the business. Staff can be easily trained to handle the teaching so that Owners can focus on building a stable and successful business while also enjoying time with their families. Their classes are registration-based to save an overhead of staffing instructors.
  
  6. Community Focused: Their owners are actively involved in their communities, becoming a well-known presence as they network and partner with various community organizations and outreach groups. Owners become leaders in the areas of kids and technology as they build brand awareness at community events. Internationally, Skill Samurai sponsors schools so that underserved youth can get their basic education, including literacy, numeracy, technological and vocational skills.

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Support

Training: Their training program, Level UP University, takes place in Toronto, Canada. It consists of 40 hours of classroom training, self-study and 40 hours of on-the-job instruction. The initial training phase takes place over the course of five days. Training covers recruiting techniques, training and retaining employees, pre-grand-opening tasks and activities, software, operations, sales and marketing training, and administrative duties. Owners will continue to work through their courses so that they have a strong understanding of the courses they will be offering.

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Ongoing Support: The training and support will never end as they continuously strive to improve the Level UP Learning System. To ensure that they remain current with industry trends and new curriculum, managers and Franchise Owners may be required to participate in refresher training courses each year at a Franchisor designated location. They have a System Access Fee of $400 per month that pays for all of the curriculum licensing and emails.

Field Support: Owners receive weekly coaching calls to ensure that goals are met and problems are solved quickly. Coaches will regularly visit Owners to guide them and ensure that they receive the support they need.

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Marketing: Owners receive a local landing page, Google local business page, and a Facebook page that is updated 5 days a week. They have developed a variety of advertising materials and sales aids specifically designed for Franchise Owners to use to promote their business. Owners have access to a graphic artist with a 48 hour turnaround time as well as digital marketing templates and tools to advertise on Google and Facebook. Level UP provides marketing materials that can be printed locally. Franchise Owners are expected to spend $1000 per month minimum on marketing. This percentage can decrease in time.

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