A training company says virtual reality is helping to transform the way tradespeople hone their skills.聽
(ERR) teaches students in trades including plumbing, gas, electrics, welding and renewable industries.聽
At its centres up and down the country, it now offers virtual reality training alongside hands-on learning.聽
鈥淣othing will ever replace real life, hands-on experience,鈥� explained director Ricky Sharma. 鈥淏ut we have found virtual reality has been a really helpful addition to what we offer.聽
鈥淵ounger students in particular appreciate that we are using new technology to expand what we do.鈥�
Virtual reality headsets are used to simulate real scenarios, such as a fault in a pipe network, in a classroom environment.聽
Skills learnt during these sessions will then be expanded upon in ERR鈥檚聽 practical training areas.聽
Mr Sharma continued: 鈥淭here is an urgent need for trained and accredited tradespeople in plumbing, electrics and renewable energies.聽
鈥淪ometimes a barrier to learning can be time, with people fitting some element of their training around jobs or families, and they need to be able to hone their skills out of the practical areas.聽
鈥淰irtual reality training allows them a safe place to train remotely.鈥�
Once classroom and practical elements of courses are complete, the trades training organisation places students at one of their many active development sites to gain further experience.聽
Mr Sharma said: 鈥淲orking on live projects is essential to gain the skills and experience necessary for on site assessments, which are needed to achieve a full NVQ.聽
鈥淥nce complete, these qualifications are a passport to future employment in a student鈥檚 chosen trade.鈥�
Recent development sites completed by students include a former hat factory in Luton transformed into 11 apartments, a former 18-bed guest house in Dunstable converted into six apartments and the overhaul of a former Victorian mill in Stoke-on-Trent.聽
ERR has training sites in Yorkshire, Southampton, Wolverhampton, Hertfordshire and Essex.
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