Skill4Work share new, immersive approaches from the retail butchery training space
Why We Embarked on This Journey
At Skills4Work, our mission is to ensure that every learner has the opportunity to succeed. For nearly two-thirds of our apprentices, traditional learning methods are simply not enough. Many of them are tactile-kinaesthetic learners, they learn best through hands-on, physical interaction rather than passive listening or reading.
These learners thrive in interactive, tool-based environments.
Traditional learning methods alone don’t always meet the needs of these learners, so we set out to change that.
Why Virtual Reality?
The decision to incorporate Virtual Reality (VR) into our training model wasn’t just a leap of faith, it was backed by compelling research.
A 2020 study by Price Waterhouse Cooper on Virtual Reality Soft Skills Training Efficacy showed:
Learners using VR can be trained up to four times faster than in a traditional classroom.
They are up to 275% more confident in applying what they’ve learned, a 40% improvement over classroom training and 35% over e-learning.
VR learners feel 3.75 times more emotionally connected to the content compared to classroom learning, and 2.3 times more than e-learners.
Learners in VR environments are significantly more focused: 4x more than e-learners, and 1.5x more than classroom learners.
This evidence, combined with the specific needs of our learners, made the decision clear: VR was the way forward and to be part of our blended learning approach.
What We’ve Achieved So Far
Skills4Work has completed a Virtual Experience Training Framework. The framework is made up of seven interactive VR modules following a structured learning path.
In addition to the VR modules, we have also developed and 3D-printed life-sized scaled models of carcass skeletal anatomy. These tactile resources allow learners to physically touch, hold, and study smaller-scale versions of carcasses, reinforcing anatomical knowledge in a way that is interactive and memorable. For our tactile-kinaesthetic learners, these models provide another essential layer of engagement and understanding.
A New Kind of Learning in the Workplace
We’ve gone a step further to ensure the learning doesn’t stop when apprentices leave the classroom.
Each of our Butchery Training Advisors carries a VR headset during site visits. This means apprentices can engage in real-time VR learning or refresh skills on-site, without stepping away from their workplace.
It’s immediate, practical, and designed to support on-the-job learning, exactly where it matters most.
Leading the Way
This work isn’t just a first for Skills4Work, it’s a bold step forward for vocational education in Aotearoa.
New Zealand is not only keeping pace with global trends in vocational training technology, but in some areas, we are leading the way. With our commitment to immersive learning models, we are already redefining what effective, inclusive, and innovative learning looks like.
Looking Ahead
Our innovation journey continues with further development of our VR modules, exploring VR assessment and to empower our organisation to be smarter, faster, and more innovation via Generative AI, tailoring to individual learner needs.
As we rethink how apprentices learn, we’re reminded of the words:
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
This philosophy is exactly why immersive, blended learning is at the heart of what we’re building.
By Tamai Roff, Skills4Work