Harnessing the power of immersive learning

As the UK’s adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) has accelerated, so has the need to create a new workforce.

These technicians and engineers need the expertise to install and manage the infrastructure to keep electric vehicles on the road.

In 2021 the Policy Exchange think-tank estimated that the UK will need 400,000 public chargers by 2030, and there is currently a real risk of charging black spots in small towns and rural areas unless the roll-out speeds up.

In 2022 the UK Government announced their commitment to convenient, affordable and reliable charging for all with a £1.6 billion investment to expand the UK charging network – with around 300,000 public chargers expected to be available by 2030.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) says ambitious policies over the next decade could create up to 40,000 high-skilled jobs. These jobs include technicians, battery manufacturers and Electric Vehicle Charge Point (EVCP) installers.

As students start to lose interest in learning ‘trades’, we must find new ways to spark their engagement and ignite their passion for this growth industry. We need the right people with the right skills and knowledge in place to reach our targets and roll out an accessible charging network across the UK.

An awarding body perspective

On a recent webinar, hosted by Metaverse Learning, Steve Humphreys, Technical Consultant & External Verifier at LCL Awards, shared his thoughts on the growing skills shortage in this area and the future of training.

Steve shared the importance of getting learners ready for the world of work and engaging them in the modern world of learning.

Awarding bodies and training providers are seeing a breakaway from traditional learning methods. For instance, the use of e-portfolios has been useful for assessments although not as a hub for resources.

While videos and webinars are useful as resources for Continuous Professional Development (CPD), they are passive learning and not immersive.

Using immersive learning platforms that incorporate virtual environments and virtual reality, make training as close as you can get to the real-world experience without actually being there.

Virtual learning allows mistakes to be made in a safe environment and lessons learned from those mistakes. This helps learners to get ready to carry out their roles in real life. And it’s not just a one-time experience; Learners can go back again and again until they crack it and get the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.

It also ensures that learners don’t have to take too much time away from their current role if they are upskilling. For learners who are starting studying, it’s a superb system to complement their learning.

Incorporating immersive learning experiences is going to be an essential piece of the puzzle in training a larger workforce and helping to reach Net Zero targets.

Showcasing new immersive learning content for EVCP

Metaverse Learning has worked with education and industry experts to create a new program of immersive learning scenarios, specifically to support Electric Vehicle Charge Point Training.

James Pallister, Education at Metaverse Learning took all webinar attendees through a presentation of the new learning content, demonstrating three different scenarios that are available as virtual environments and virtual reality.

He shared the benefits of using this immersive learning content including using it as an upskilling or reskilling resource; saving time within the classroom to support teachers, and the readiness of instant learning material for strike days so that the learners don’t miss out.

Each scenario covers the technical and soft skills needed by an EVCP installer and gives learners plenty of time to practise in a safe environment.

To watch the full webinar including the demonstration, take a look here.