Learners dive into the business world with LabOdoo. 28/05/2025

How do you make an ERP system tangible, recognizable, and even a little exciting? By simply bringing it to your school – or almost. On Wednesday, May 28, the LabOdoo bus arrived within walking distance of Mechelen Campus. Not an ordinary bus, but a mobile learning company where students could work hands-on in a fully simulated business.

“This gives a realistic view of what it will really be like on the job.”

With the Belgian open-source software Odoo as its backbone, our students no longer felt like students but as colleagues on the job. They went through various departments – from sales to accounting – and learned the workflow of an SME in all its aspects. Every detail was lifelike: payments with a real card, ticket printers, cash registers, logistics processes, customer files… everything ran like in a real company.

“You experience firsthand how things work in a company. You make a quote, place an order… and it’s actually easier than I expected,” says Michael, a student in ICT and administration. “This gives a realistic view of what it will really be like on the job.”

“Everything is highly realistic.”

The accompanying teachers are also convinced of its value. Lize, training coordinator and teacher, quickly noticed the growing enthusiasm in the group. “The great thing is that every administrative track can benefit. Students can use the software on a computer, but this goes much further. You work with real systems: a cash register, ticket printer, even a payment card.”

The LabOdoo bus is more than technology – it’s hands-on learning on wheels. Students are immersed in the dynamics of a business, providing the boost some of them needed.

“Everything is highly realistic. An experience like this should really enter the classroom,” says Lize.

Why not dream of a permanent space at school for this type of business-oriented training? One thing is certain: learning has rarely been so concrete and motivating.