The Workforce Needs Reskilling: Virtual Reality’s Role in Training for the Future
The landscape of work is experiencing a massive upheaval. And we’re not talking about the usual modern struggles business leaders are consumed by, like seeking and retaining top talent.
The World Economic Forum released an interesting statistic — one that all businesses should be mindful of in the coming years. According to the third edition of its Future of Jobs report, 50% of the world’s workforce will need to be reskilled by 2025.
The further we lean into the adoption of emerging technologies, the sooner modern processes like digital transformation and automation sink their teeth into our workforce. And there’s nothing wrong with that — embedding these technologies makes businesses more agile; they provide never-before-available opportunities for becoming leaner and scalable.
But the time for your employees to develop new and transferable skills is now. Why wait until 2025 to diversify your workforce’s abilities when you could future-proof them in 2023?
One type of technology that doesn’t force people to reskill—that actually facilitates it—is virtual reality. Read on to learn about the advantages of VR in reskilling your workforce and how you can future-proof your employees’ skill sets sooner rather than later.
Setting up Your Staff to Succeed
Immersive learning experiences trump online courses a million times over. Sure, an online course led by experts is a great way to develop knowledge in new or similar fields. But in some sectors, it’s just not possible to nurture and certify skills unless training is done in a physical environment.
One such industry is construction. Knowing how to react to problems effectively doesn’t come from textbooks or the class notes you’ve taken — it comes from firsthand experience. Virtual reality facilitates the only digital, inexpensive and easily replicated way to simulate real-life situations.
The Advantages of Virtual Reality Training
1. Train for the Most Challenging Scenarios
Making potentially life-saving decisions on-site requires experiencing the most-challenging scenarios, and there’s no way to actualize these tests without VR. Or by causing the exact disasters you need to avoid.
Both the theory and the practical are essential for effective training. But for practicing responses to complex tasks and high-pressure situations — there’s no better way to experience such conditions in a safe, controlled environment than in VR.
2. Assessments are Data-Driven
Content is king? No, data is dominant. Using VR for training means you can quickly and effortlessly collect data on training simulations in terms of behavior and performance. It means both you, as a business owner, and the learner, can gain actionable insights into their progress and easily analyze areas for improvement.
A company should do its best to prepare its employees for certified testing. With VR, you can easily create custom training plans to bring the skills and qualities of your employees up to regulatory standards.
3. It’s Cost-Effective
There’s no denying that embracing VR in your training process requires investment. Some companies might even be put off by that. But, while the initial investment may be costly, you’ll find that it’ll be cost-effective in the long run.
VR provides a scalable and credible alternative to traditional training. Rather than rely on physical resources and expensive equipment, you can eliminate these expenses by running simulations in VR.
Our Thoughts
There’s no one way to reskill the workforce. And there’s no denying that it’ll be a lot easier for some companies than it is for others, too.
It’s ironic that the companies that lean on tech the most, or those that supply tech solutions to others, like AR/VR agencies, are the ones that will have fewer demands in reskilling their employees. Either way, investing in the abilities of your workforce is how you keep your teams growing and your bottom line booming.
The real benefits of VR for businesses right now lie in training and education. If you’re in structural engineering, architecture, interior design or other similar, tech-led-yet-hands-on roles, you’ll find that the data-driven, realistic opportunities VR provides are unparalleled.
