Immersive training using AR, VR and XR will help improve the skills of the workforce.

The advent of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR) have entirely transformed the way businesses or individuals interact with things. These immersive technologies have brought a new way of training opportunities, making the learning of employees more intrinsic and immersive. According to Statista in 2017, corporations estimated spending on corporate training initiatives worldwide was US$362.2 billion.

Since passive learning and memorization has been the past model, the modern workforce requires a more active and ongoing approach to training in which employees learn through practical experience. This is where immersive training helps them to learn things virtually immersed in a safe, instructive environment that enables them to practice their skills without any disruption of company property or themselves. This training model has the potential to replicate perilous scenarios, improve soft skills and justify implicit biases across the creative industries, manufacturing and others.

Immersive technologies for training are not new as they have been used in some form for nearly a century. Rooted back into an urgent need to train large numbers of aviators during World War I, flight simulators were built for commercial aviation in 1915. Over time, the technologies enter in healthcare in order to improve operating room performance and, more recently, in the automotive industry to reduce costs while creating quality products.

Immersive training gives the ability to learners to learn things and control the outcomes by connecting them with real experiences, in a safer environment. Leveraging VR applications can provide more immersive and experiential environments to employees, while AR overlays instructions on equipment.

The rise of Extended Reality (XR)

XR, which involves VR, AR, and all real and virtual environments and human-machine interactions created by computer technology, has applications in training for workforce development. While XR tools break down the boundaries between the physical and virtual worlds, they are opening up new market opportunities and poised to bring transformation to people’s day-to-day lives.

With ongoing technological innovations, XR is extending beyond AR and VR creating a more intuitive connection between people’s natural senses and the world around them. Already, most companies are experimenting with XR applications and experiencing major benefits. In the training application, IDC predicts spending on VR and AR training to grow at a CAGR of 46 percent from 2018 to 2023, reaching US$8 billion by 2023.

Benefits that Immersive Training Offers 

The future of training workforce has transformed with the emergence of VR and AR, improving training experience by bringing content to life. Companies are increasingly turning to these immersive technologies to upsurge employee skills and knowledge and retention of the training information. One of the most benefits immersive training has it can be updated by time. This can also be helpful in different learning systems, enabling trainees to understand concepts and materials at their own pace and style. Immersive training helps in eliminating training injuries in complex environments, minimizing travel expenses, training more people faster with enhanced collaboration, as well as monitoring and scaling employee outcomes for a better learning experience.

Although, how does a company get to know when immersive training is right for them and when to invest? Investing in immersive training becomes essential when: 

• Tasks are repeatable and experience based
• Training large numbers of people at a high cost
• Collecting data during the training but have a hard time doing so
• Not having easily access the facilities or equipment that would make the training come to life
• In the time of tailored training experiences
• Updating training frequently and more.