Virtual Simulations Are the Next Step in Self-Service Training for the Channel

Virtual reality (VR) technology may be the new hot topic for the consumer electronics industry, but virtual workplace simulations also have the potential to change the way channel businesses train and educate their employees.

While the type of virtual simulators in the IT channel have nothing to do with complex motion controls or expensive headsets like the much-touted Oculus Rift, virtual workspace simulations have become increasingly relevant over the past several years among white collar professionals as employees continue to demand customized self-service solutions to improve their business acumen.

Advantexe is one developer of virtual workspace simulations that is helping to push the envelope on how enterprise companies educate and train their employees. The Pennsylvania-based company specializes in designing intricate virtual simulations meant to help enterprise employees learn new skills in realistic work settings. These programs, which can be customized for individual use or for group learning, allow trainees to work at their own pace and foster healthy competition among employees looking to obtain the best score. This combination of gamification and self-service learning is key in helping employees to retain long-time skills, according to Jim Brodo, Advantexe’s chief marketing officer. This is particularly relevant for millennials, many of whom lack practical office skills upon entering the working world.

“What they’ve [millennials] learned in school may be strictly out of a book, and yeah, they can do that,” said Brodo. “But how do you manage people and all these different things that occur in the business? They’re able to try things, make mistakes, innovate, be engaged, and [be] really motivated to learn all these different things within the simulation.”

Not only do interactive training simulations allow workers to learn new skills at their own pace, but they also enable employees to gain insight into different aspects of the business world. For example, a virtual workspace simulation can allow a millennial fresh out of college to learn what it’s like to manage a Fortune 500 company in a realistic manner, according to Brodo.

Virtual training simulators, albeit in different forms, have been widely used in other industries as well, most notably in higher education and among military personnel. While the exact nature of these simulations can vary between virtual reality and workplace training simulations, the principle remains the same: engage users in scenarios where they can experience real world challenges and allow them to practice skills in a controlled environment.

The implementation of virtual workspace simulations stands to benefit channel partners in a number of ways. Primarily, this new form of training can deliver completely customized offerings for specific topics such as hybrid cloud virtualization, the Internet of Things, and the deployment of cybersecurity solutions, many of which are too abstract to be taught in a traditional classroom setting. Furthermore, these solutions can be customized and updated to provide long-term training opportunities to employees over the course of several years, rather than a company having to pay for external lessons or hire professionals to train new workers.

The training might be simulated, but the benefits are real.