VR TRAINING
CoA training platform a ‘virtual’ success The result of partnership between the Ministry of Social Development, the NZSA and experiential learning specialist JBA, the SkillsVR virtual reality and e-learning security training platform is ready to launch. A partnership between MSD, the NZSA and specialist virtual reality developer JBA (Joy Business Academy), a new Virtual Reality training platform seeks to address frustrations with delivery of mandatory training that must be completed as part of obtaining a Certificate of Approval for security officers.
“Those frustrations include accessibility issues (particularly outside of main metropolitan areas), a lack of consistency in the training delivery (including shortened programmes) and literacy issues with current training materials.” Said NZSA CEO Gary Morrison. “Virtual reality and e-learning are recognised as leading edge technologies for the delivery of high quality and effective training,” he said, “providing benefits such as: • Time and cost of training and certification - guards are certified in less time and with less disruption to operations. • Practice for the real world - guards have the opportunity to practice potentially dangerous scenarios, allowing them to safely and effectively comprehend principles before applying them in the real world. • Accessibility outside metropolitan areas - guards can get trained, refreshed and/or certified anywhere without the need to travel and without the cost of facilitator travel and accommodation. • Comprehension - literacy challenges - guards are emotionally connected to their virtual environment,
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and need to utilise their cognitive abilities to complete training/certification, overcoming literacy challenges. • Consistency - guards receive comprehensive and consistent training and have access to training and refreshers throughout the year without having to engage a training facilitator or incur any massive cost to the business. Whilst the original intent was to develop a high quality and readily accessible training delivery option for candidates placed into employment through the NZSA MSD Skills for Industry programme, the NZSA believes that it is in the interest of the wider industry to make the training platform available for all industry participants. “It is important, however, to stress that industry has the choice to utilise the platform or not,” said Gary, “and that it is an option for industry to consider, not a replacement for existing training.” The SkillsVR security training platform comprises a mixture of e-learning and virtual reality modules hosted on the JBA SkillsVR portal and comprises the three unit standards: • 27360 Demonstrate knowledge of managing conflict situations in a security context (e-learning) • 27361 Manage conflict situations in a security context (virtual reality) • 27364 Demonstrate knowledge of the security industry in a pre-employment context (e-learning)
December 2020/January 2021
