See also: Using Virtual Reality to Prepare People with the Most Dangerous Jobs for High-Risk Situations

Safety

We should mention this as one of the significant benefits of training in virtual reality. A professionally built VR training application may recreate the actual oil rig environment except for one thing – the hazards associated with the job. In virtual reality, the trainees can master their skills without being exposed to any risks both to themselves and to the equipment.

Moreover, the training developers can reconstruct hazardous situations in virtual reality to train prompt response, communication, and be working under stress.

If necessary, such VR training or their variations can be repeated as many times as needed without any danger for the students.

Faster learning

This benefit does not refer to the oil and gas sector only, as the effectiveness of immersive VR training is a proven fact for many other industries, too.

By stimulating multiple senses and making the trainees literally “learn by doing”, virtual reality creates knowledge that is retained longer and can be applied quicker.

At the same time, in VR, all mistakes and their consequences are immediately visible creating a strong link between the trainee’s actions and their result. In the same vein, the trainee practicing in virtual reality gets feedback almost instantly while the experience is still fresh in their memory.

Contextual knowledge provision in real-time

Learning is not only about practice. Theoretical knowledge is also important, especially when it concerns the complex machinery and sophisticated processes.

A VR-based training can be built so that to display the related information during the practice. For example, for electricians working on virtual electric networks, it will be helpful to display the safe voltage ranges or the purpose of wires.

There may be different ways to supply additional information – as text appearing in VR or as an audio narrative. The main thing is that it should not distract the employee and fulfill its purpose at the same time.

Training productivity and engagement

The productivity of the training directly depends on the student’s engagement, since a bored student is unlikely to be able to learn productively.

At the current stage of the technology evolution, there is probably no method that creates higher engagement than virtual reality.

All users putting on a VR headset cannot help but be amazed at how the creators managed to place them in a completely different world.

With training, the virtual reality effect multiplies. When the trainee literally “lives” through a scenario, all instructions, hints, tips, and other useful information sink much deeper. Even the best textbook or video cannot compete with virtual reality in terms of productivity.

The employees who have been trained in VR are more confident in their real work afterwards and make fewer mistakes.