Virtual reality is rapidly becoming less costly and easier to use. As a result, its use across many sectors is booming, especially in training. Most recently, tech giants like Facebook are focusing on creating a VR metaverse. Additionally, companies like Accenture and Wallmart are purchasing headsets by the 10,000’s to efficiently train their personnel. This offers many new opportunities for innovative training tools.
But what exactly is a training metaverse, and how can businesses put it to use?
What is a training metaverse?
A training metaverse is a virtual reality space where trainees can learn through virtual exercises and classes. They give trainees hands-on practice with tasks, provide remote classrooms, connect trainees with teachers, and much more.
The Virtual Instructor Platform
OneBonsai’s Virtual Instructor Platform provides VR training modules covering a range of scenarios. The modules are short exercises and tests to support practicing and refreshing the skills of your personnel.
These include fire drills and other emergencies, hazard and maintenance procedures, medical training, and more. This library is constantly expanding to cover more situations for different professions.
Training modules comprise guided learning that teaches trainees how to read a situation and perform tasks. Unguided tests follow these to assess their skills. In addition, the module tracks and analyzes each trainee throughout the training. This helps trainers spot areas for improvement, feedback, and follow-up.
The Virtual Instructor Platform provides training for specialized tasks and roles. Its features are all designed for this function. For example, modules allow multiple trainees to be present in the same VR space to practice team drills.
They also offer even more immersive training through mixed reality. For example, a scenario designed to teach safe use of a tool or device (eg a fire extinguisher) can consist of a replica tracked within the VR space.
Instructors can alter the scenarios and observe trainees in real-time, and join them within the virtual space. The modules also feature virtual instructors guiding trainees with text, audio, and visual cues. This gives VR training the ability to teach many employees within a limited time frame.
Benefits of Metaverse Training
VR training offers many benefits to employee training programs, including:
Reduced Danger
A core strength of VR training is practicing tasks that are dangerous to train in real life. For example, our Fire Training module safely enables people to practice responding to various types of fire without real fire risks.
Reduced Cost
Similarly, VR training is often much cheaper than other training. This is because it reduces the need for expendable materials for training purposes. Additionally, virtual instructors allow trainees to learn with less supervision needed, saving on instructor costs and time.
Easily Repeatable
As a result of the reduced risk and cost of training, short VR training modules can be repeated many times. Each repeat of the module does not expend any further resources. Accordingly, trainees can build more familiarity and experience with the task. Modules are also highly configurable, enabling trainees to go through various procedures with each session.
Increased Skill Retention
Above all, VR training provides immersive learning exercises that engage trainees and give an experience of performing real-world tasks. As a result, VR modules improve trainees’ retention of the skills and knowledge they learn, helping them carry out those tasks with competence when it counts. In fact, a National Training Laboratory study in 2017 found that VR training could result in skill retention rates of more than 60% higher learning through presentations and reading material.
Training Metaverse Uses
Our growing library of VR training modules can prepare your employees for a wide range of tasks and situations, such as:
- Conducting emergency drills such as firefighting, evacuation, and rescue
- Simulating challenging conditions such as low visibility due to smoke
- Tactical drills and scenario training for security, law, and military professionals
- Training to use tools and machinery
- Teaching safety and maintenance procedures for installations and facilities
- Practicing medical procedures
- Onboarding warehouse workers with layouts and processes
A training metaverse enables companies to train their personnel anywhere, at any time. Our platform offers training modules covering fire training, hazard recognition, evacuation, medical training, and more, with new modules added regularly. Contact us today to find out how VR training can boost the safety and skills of your employees.
