by Sabarinath Nair, Co-Founder & CEO of Skillveri Training Solutions
There are multiple challenges that a developing country may face, in the areas of skills and vocational training. Industries seek to keep labour costs low, and do not consider training as a key activity, owing to the time and costs involved. To top it, technology-enhanced vocational training and education is perceived as highly expensive, thereby further increasing expenses for training workers.
It is a given fact that there is notable surge in the scope for employment opportunities in the automotive and manufacturing sectors. With the advent of emerging technologies like machine learning and automation, and with industrial shopfloors getting increasingly modernised with technology like smart manufacturing, upskilling remains imperative to maintain a competitive edge in the global market. Hence, there is a pressing need for industries to adapt and upskill their employees quickly.
Taking India as an example, even though there is an abundant youth population who are ready to be skilled, critical infrastructure projects in the country, like the Delhi metro construction or airport construction were built by outsourcing labourers from countries like Peru and China. Despite the huge demand for skilled labour in India, our youth are not able to benefit from these opportunities due to the significant gap in skill levels, lack of access to training, and awareness of such opportunities.
Therefore, the pressing priority is to train blue collar workers in a short period of time and in the right way. An effective way to do so, is by building XR for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Extended Reality (XR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are fast rapidly altering the way people perform tasks and learn. Although we commonly connect these innovations with entertainment, their capacity for employee workforce development and training is enormous, and relatively unexplored. Organisations develop accurate and interactive simulations by incorporating XR into their training programmes, which allows employees to acquire knowledge and perfect their skill through experiential learning, rendering training to be more effective and engaging.This kind of technology delivers precise, industry-relevant skill training, while making it learner-focused and cost effective at the same time.
Skill training using XR is eco-friendly and saves cost on consumables. This method of training has resulted in reduced work rejection, significantly reduced cases of rework, almost zero product wastage, and optimizes work efficiency. It bridges the time gap between training and entering the workforce, thereby resulting in professionals entering the industry faster, with more dexterity and accuracy in work, proving to be the most advanced way of learning and development. It also reduces the risk of health hazards, as on-ground conventional training involves long hours of training and experimentation, and exposure to fumes, smoke and other pollutants.
Additionally, industries can benefit from setting up Multi-skill XR Labs, which can be shared by various users, and where one platform can be used to train multiple people. The latest devices also address concerns like connectivity and power issues that prevail in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, by being portable, chargeable, and possible to use offline and sync to cloud.
Until a few years ago, skilling platforms depended on external devices and hardware, which had the downside of being more expensive. However, the affordability, scalability, and technical advancements of XR devices like Meta Quest 2 & Quest 3 have made them exceptionally well suited for skilling.
The important foundation in skill training is that it should be precise and structured, especially for skills such as welding, spray painting, and HVAC repair, which involve highly critical abilities and knowledge. The lack of a strong system will result in the compromise of output quality and will also pose safety challenges.
The key advantage that VR or XR based simulations bring to skill training is the availability of live feedback and detailed actionable analytics on the user’s performance, which is impossible in conventional real-world training. Features like continuous hand movement tracking and analysis of the quality of the weld or paint job performed, enable a comprehensive assessment of the learners’ skill and allow for tracking their progress. Early learners also get the confidence to practice repeatedly since there is no fear of risks or accidents and move on to using the real equipment only after their skills are perfected.
Virtual Reality is also particularly useful in specialised environments like conveyors, where a few seconds of stoppage due to inaccurate performance results is huge losses. It is also practically impossible for industries to allocate a dedicated conveyor permanently for practice, and in such cases, VR or XR training perfectly fills that gap at a fraction of the costs.
While looking at successful use cases, a well-known paint company in India successfully upskilled 1000’s of painters in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, using multi-skill simulation platforms and popularized mechanized painting in India. The training delivery was done entirely across Tier II, Tier III cities and rural locations, with the compact VR headsets being taken to where the learners are. The program, which has now been successfully running for more than 3 years, has also proved that technology is not a barrier, but an enabler for quick user adoption of modernized training.
XR training is still an emerging idea, yet considerable number of businesses are now researching or utilising VR/AR technology for training and development. Whether it's tailor-made educational opportunities, cost-effective simulations, or improved safety training, the potential for XR in training is extremely fascinating and effective. As companies and universities focus on employee growth and engagement, XR will become a crucial tool for training blue collared workers, especially in a developing country like India, thereby improving employability and employment opportunities in the nation.
Follow