Creative augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) technology firm Groove Jones develops immersive solutions for enterprises, brands, and location-based experiences. It also helps to enhance customer engagement and marketing with immersive custom campaigns.
Groove Jones supplies an avenue for bespoke extended reality (XR) training scenarios for enterprises. The trusted enterprise is part of Unity’s Certified Creator Network, which enables Groove Jones to design slick, immersive experiences using the real-time 3D (RT3D) engine.
This month, Groove Jones partnered with Be Pro Be Proud, a US national non-profit aiming to revitalise modern skilled workforces. The partnership assists high school-level students in gaining knowledge for skill-based career jobs, such as HVAC repair, using gamified VR experiences.
Groove Jones Unique Gamified Solutions
With its technology partner, Be Pro Be Proud is debuting a mobile tour which gives students access to multiple VR training scenarios that cover a range of skilled professions.
The team delivers the VR training program to students via a mobile truck, available in Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina. So far, they have deployed the mobile VR training platform to over 100,000 students in the selected regions.
The VR gamification elements bring standard input and storytelling elements into immersive training scenarios, which according to Groove Jones, raise the awareness of and engagement in skilled-based job training.
The mobile van tour contains custom training modules for skilled-based jobs, including plumbing, electrical, and HVAC repair. Additionally, across its five chosen states, the immersive learning course has employed roughly 230 industry expert mentors.
Behind the Bespoke Training
Groove Jones designs its gamified VR training experiences on Unity, building each application for the Meta Quest product portfolio.
The firm’s immersive learning solution runs on the GrooveTech platform that distributes scalable, multi-level training programs on which clients can build their experiences.
But what does gamification add to immersive training systems? Groove Jones’ unique design ideology enables a training module to include mechanics most commonplace in classic video games, such as levelling up, scoreboards, and unlockable abilities.
Based on a student’s performance, the training application awards the learner with a Foreman, Journeyman, or Apprentice rank. Additionally, the Grovetech ranking system also provides students with a pay grade based on their overall score, time, and ranking.
Choosing the Right Training
The training application initially places students in a virtual high school football stadium where they can choose their training course and see what they can earn from each profession.
From here, the application places a student within a virtual training scenario based on their chosen profession. The GroveTech will lead trainees through each scenario with navigational pop-ups and tutorials.
For instance, in its Plumbing Repair in Disaster Plumbing program, Grove Jones tasks a student with fixing a broken pipe in a coach’s bathroom.
The scenario asks a participant to remove drywall with a reciprocating saw, select the suitable pipe to fix, and replace the broken pipe without flooding the coach bathroom.
But, if a user makes a mistake, the application will present realistic outcomes such as simulated electrocution.
In other programs like Groove Jones’ Carpentry and Pest Control in Carpentry Calamity challenge, the immersive experience also requires students to go through safety precautions.
The collaboration looks to successfully deploy the gamified immersive training application to students in its chosen regions, although Be Pro Be Proud outlines plans to distribute the program to new areas.
