Description: What does virtual reality have to offer when it comes to skill acquisition for various industries? Is it something we should look forward to in the nearest future?
Virtual reality job training
The importance of appropriate training in a workplace cannot be overemphasized. Every day, millions of potential and existing employees go through targeted trainings in their industries. These trainings are aimed at helping them strengthen their skillset and acquire other skills that would make their work easier.
Furthermore, present labour industry has seen drastic changes related to the dying off of certain job roles and the emergence of new ones that require entirely different skills. This has affected all forms of labour – skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled. Businesses and organizations are constantly looking for new and effective ways to train their people and prepare them for these new jobs. We’ve had the use of workshops, seminars – and now there is a possibility of using virtual reality in job training. But how feasible is this?
Not a new Idea
It turns out that the use of virtual reality in training sessions is not an entirely new idea. The aviation industry has been known to use flight simulators to train pilots. Perhaps it’s safer to say that this idea hasn’t been widely discussed among industries. But as virtual reality is beginning to gain ground, especially in the entertainment industry, this idea is gradually gaining ground and businesses are beginning to consider the possibility. Would having virtual reality job training be effective enough to help them achieve the level of competence needed to fulfil today’s jobs?
Let’s take the academic industry as an example. How cool would it be to have virtual technology assisting writing companies with essay orders they get? When all they would just do is choose the ‘edit your resume with this service’ option and the technology goes to work for them? Or using VR headsets to train people for specialized jobs in demanding fields like medicine and engineering?
An Amazon of Opportunities
There are countless possibilities that virtual reality brings to the table. Here are a few examples of aspects where it can bring about needed improvement:
1. Risk-based scenarios
Describing a risky situation is usually different from the situation playing out in reality. But since we know that this isn’t possible without serious injuries, this is where VR comes to play. Thanks to this technology, in controlled environments it’s easier to play out risk-based situations and show how they can be dealt with.
2. Equipment health
This is also needful. Many workers only know how to use their equipment; they know nothing about servicing or discerning when a part needs changing until it breaks down and time is wasted waiting for the technician. Now, specific software can send alert ahead of time when the equipment is getting to stretch point. This allows the technicians to get there on time and fix impending problems.
3. Virtual meetings
A lot often goes into planning a successful meeting of executives. But this can get tasking when the various members are in different geographical locations. With the help of virtual meetings, the meeting is held as though in person, even though it isn’t.
Many more advancements are on their way regarding VR tech, and based on what we’re seeing, this particular tech wonder is here to stay.
Image Credits: VR & job training from Alexander Supertramp/Shutterstock