Immersive Virtual Reality Training Is simulation of life-like scenarios for training and learning purposes. Trainees enter a 360°, active learning environment, experiencing computerized content and sounds that dissolve the boundary between virtual and actual reality. Using the headset and controllers, we can move freely in a 3D virtual setting, connecting with simulated tools, machinery, and other trainees and instructors.

When the scenario is combined  with narratives and learning curriculum generated by subject matter experts, the trainees learn in the best way possible through personal experience, improving learning retention, team collaboration,  job performance, workplace safety, and cost.

How To Use Virtual Reality For Training Employees

VR is a valuable tool when it comes to learning and development, bringing more advancements to the content the employees interact with, thereby allowing training to extend beyond an eLearning course or classroom setting. A report by eMarketer states that 42.9 million people will use VR, and 68.7 million will use AR at least once every month.

Custom VR Training can imitate any world we can imagine, enabling our learners to encounter genuine scenarios without facing real-world risk. We can also develop a shared experience for the remote team, and provide a safe space to execute technical training and hands-on work.

Examples of VR Corporate Training uses:

• Scenario-Based Learning – It uses interactive scenarios to support active learning strategies, creating a realistic sense of a tense situation, such as problem-based learning
• Technical Skills – Teaching how to assemble products or complicated machinery in an interactive environment. 
• Multi-Step Tasks – Work through fixing products and equipment by outlining the steps to guide through the problem step by step.
• Simulations –  Working on reactions in hazardous situations without actually being in danger, in a model of a real-world scenario. 

Companies Using VR For Training

Successful companies across the globe are employing VR to streamline and upgrade their training processes.

Walmart combines VR and training

Walmart uses VR applications to train and assess the skills of their employees. This included a 360° video recorded from within one of their stores and interactive experiences that questions the employee to solve conflicts unfolding in front of them. Managers can evaluate how an employee might deal with a customer without the need of any real-life drama.

AST safety training

AST offers a variety of training courses to companies to qualify their employees for using complex machines and devices. For AST's safety engineer Matthias Müller, VR is the solution to deliver immersive, practice-oriented, and easy-to-use training to companies.

Wenergy launched a VR Training Programme on the portal of AICTE

Wenergy, a Virtual Reality Training Company for the renewable energy sector, recently launched a VR Training Programme on the portal of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). This project emphasized on empowering the students under SWAYAM with an immersive mode of education using VR, enabling the students to have access to an active learning environment rather than just textual information, for a better visual understanding of the subject. The platform crossed 1000+ registrations with 800+ Active Learners, and a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Benefits of Virtual Reality Training

1. Accelerate speed to proficiency

VR training benefits trainees by providing them the opportunity to be trained before the equipment is even installed, making virtual use of the best skills.

    2. Reduce onboarding time

VR training gives new employees true-to-life training in a virtual world that replicates the real world so they benefit from the necessary knowledge and acquire skills faster.  

    3. Safe Learning Environment 

VR offers a safe learning environment for the personnel where they can learn from their mistakes without affecting business or getting hurt. VR training lowers the occurrence of workplace injuries by 43%

   4.  Exciting and Engaging 

VR is a new technology for most people, it attracts the attention of users and raises the curiosity levels in them. PwC study reveals that trainees are 4 times more focused than e-learners. 

5. Reducing costs

Once the course is developed, costs of rolling it out at scale are minimal. It removes the need for hefty trainer fees. Since it is 100% safe, incident costs are also saved. 

Is VR the Future of Training?

From all that we have covered, we witnessed that VR Training provides employees with quick and better training results, significantly reduces mishaps and injuries, and saves costs at the same time. Virtual reality as a training technology is an important building block for the future of digital learning.