As the ever-changing digital landscape continues to evolve, the physical and online worlds are converging at an exceptional rate – offering an endless set of new and exciting opportunities. The word ‘metaverse’ has been buzzing across the globe since Facebook changed their name to ‘Meta,’ inspiring the race towards building an immersive world. This futuristic hub houses a robust arcade of gamification, crypto trading and non-fungible tokens (NFT’s), with blockchain technology and decentralisation at the core. So, how will VR impact the future of the workforce?
The Arrival of Web 3.0
Within the span of a half-generation, we’ve seen the internet evolve from a dial-up connection allowing you to surf information online, to a hyper-personalised social sphere of content creation and rapid shareability. As Next World now traverses into Web 3.0 territory, virtual and augmented realities are redefining how individuals interact with content and navigate the digital jungle. New waves of possibility are set to be unleashed within all sectors of society, as the nature in which individuals collaborate, communicate, and learn is completely transformed. This revolutionary concept goes beyond the consumption of information as we know it and allows the user to experience information within an immersive learning playground.
A Culture of Safety in 2022
Living in a pandemic-active world has highlighted our dependence on technology to interact and engage with the world around us. As universities, schools and enterprises seek to bridge the gap between teaching and communicating via distance, leaders are looking to the future now more than ever to support fruitful growth and development.
For example, global manufacturer and distributor of earthmoving and mining equipment, Komatsu Australia, recently adopted Next World technology to train and upskill their RTOs in line with the world-wide movement towards more effective technology, as they drive towards their goal of zero harm.
As traditional learning on its own falls short of effectively engaging staff and meeting demand beyond geographic bounds, immersive technologies are no longer a ‘nice to have.’ Creating a culture of innovation, safety and transparency has become essential to paving a more effective and efficient way forward.
VR for Workplace Training
The good news is, the solution is here – enabling organisations to take new ground in 2022 with the utilisation of virtual reality learning content. We’ve already seen an uptake from innovative companies like Mars, Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) and Newcrest Mining using VR technology to train their staff on the job.
Next World’s current off-the-shelf and bespoke learning experiences can support varying industries. For example, with the opportunity to superimpose dangerous work instances and crisis situations for staff in high-risk industries, Next World can effectively teach employees about a risk without exposing them to danger. This allows an employee to identify hazards, test reflex response times and gain situational understanding of a risk – while ensuring they return home safely to their family. This is critical for risk mitigation.
As more and more companies train their staff via distance, VR provides a seamless and cost-effective solution that is 85% more effective in ensuring employee engagement and knowledge retention. Research also highlights that VR learners are 4x faster to train in the classroom, 275% more confident to apply skills learned and 3.75x more emotionally connected to the content (PWC, 2020).
The future is now, and it’s time to think beyond the traditional and physical construct of training. The possibilities to explore an unlimited world of teaching, learning and communicating exists and is guiding the way forward.
