From aviation and pharmaceuticals to banking and logistics, businesses across various industries are turning to VR for training. This is thanks to several inspiring benefits, including:
- Better engagement
- Cost savings
- Improved knowledge retention
- Superior skill transfer
…and more.
In this ArborXR guide, you’ll discover how top companies are embracing VR for training and the impressive results they’re seeing. We’ll also show you how we’ve helped them optimize their VR training programs to the fullest.
Let’s get started.
5 Companies Using VR for Training
- UPS
- Delta
- MDA
- Bank of America
- Pfizer
1. UPS: VR-Based Drivers’ Training
UPS used to train new drivers by having them shadow experienced ones on their routes. While this method worked, it also came with limitations—it was time-consuming, geographically restricted, and couldn’t fully replicate all possible scenarios drivers might encounter.
That’s where VR training enters the picture.
Key Results
VR training reduced UPS’s training time by 75%, from 8 hours to 2.
Significantly, this decrease in time hasn’t come at the expense of effectiveness. Drivers trained in VR demonstrate the same (or even better) level of competency as those who underwent traditional mentorship.
UPS’ VR Training Program
Over the past seven years, UPS has embraced VR to create a more efficient, realistic, and impactful training experience for drivers.
Their training program immerses new hires in a simulated environment where they encounter everyday road hazards like pedestrians, parked cars, and oncoming traffic. This allows them to safely practice their reactions and decision-making skills before hitting the actual road.
But implementation wasn’t always a smooth journey.
In our chat with UPS’s head of immersive technology, Mark Grob, he highlighted deployment as a major hurdle. He recognized early that manually shipping headsets back and forth from hundreds of nationwide locations, tracking inventory with spreadsheets, and managing updates simply wasn’t practical.
They needed a way to manage VR headsets remotely, at scale. And that’s exactly why they turned to ArborXR.
According to Mark…
“ArborXR makes it very easy to explore VR in your operations because it’s not expensive as compared to traditional MDMs, and it’s very easy to use.”
Another key success factor was they had an expert in VR and immersive tech to guide their entire implantation. While this may not be feasible for every company, you can replicate the underlying strategy by;
- Bringing in someone with similar experience
- Training your existing staff in XR technology
- Partnering with a knowledgeable XR service provider—check out our XR directory for an overview of your options
2. Delta: VR Training for Deicing Technicians
Delta is another high flyer when it comes to VR training. They partnered with ArborXR and top XR ISV Futurus to launch a VR program that trains as many as 1,500 deicing technicians around the globe every year.
Key Results
More than 150 technicians complete Delta’s training program daily, jumping from just three previously (a roughly 5,000% increase). These technicians are more confident applying what they’ve learned than those who complete traditional training.
Additionally, Delta saves millions annually by minimizing the use of deicing fluid during training, eliminating travel expenses for trainers and technicians, and reducing fuel consumption by training aircraft.
Delta VR Training Program
Delta’s training program puts technicians in a realistic virtual environment to practice deicing procedures on virtual aircraft. This allows them to train technicians year-round, rain or shine, without investing in costly deicing fluid or fuel to transport aircraft to training locations.
ArborXR played a very important role in this program, too. Futurus (the ISV Delta partnered with for content creation and training implementation) used ArborXR to manage headsets and training experiences from development to deployment.
Here’s an overview of what the process looked like:
- ArborXR made it easier for Futurus to send specific VR software versions to Delta’s experts for review at scale.
- Futurus used ArborXR to automatically update all of Delta’s training headsets with the latest training content (without manual headset-by-headset installations).
- ArborXR’s Kiosk Mode helped Delta minimize distractions and keep technicians focused on training.
3. MDA: Reaching New Heights with VR Training
MDA is a leader in space technology that uses VR to transform astronaut training. Their VR training program offers a safe, cost-effective, and collaborative training environment for astronauts and ground control teams.
Key Results
Bartz, Lead GERS Software Architect at MDA, shared that the training program’s impact was huge. He described it as “like being on the station, doing the real deal,” far surpassing the benefits of pictures and videos alone.
MDA’s Outer Space Training Program
MDA uses VR to build immersive environments that replicate on-orbit scenarios. This allows astronauts and on-ground technicians to practice in lifelike scenarios, with reduced costs and risk and a faster time to proficiency.
For example, using Microsoft Hololens 2 headsets, MDA astronauts and ground control can interact with 3D models of on-orbit robotics like Canadarm2 (a crucial robotic arm for ISS operations).
Like the two companies we’ve covered so far, ArborXR was also an integral part of MDA’s success story, helping them manage their headsets dispersed across different locations without breaking a sweat. We also gave them full in-house control and security so they wouldn’t have to share sensitive data with third parties.
4. Bank of America: Banking on VR for a Skilled Workforce
Bank of America uses VR training across multiple areas, such as onboarding, soft skills development, and customer support simulations.
Key Results
Bank of America’s VR training has shown impressive outcomes. Michael Wynn, a Senior VP mentions that employees have become more enthusiastic about training, with 97% feeling more confident in applying what they’ve learned.
Bank of America VR Training Program
Bank of America’s training program includes over 40 modules designed to enhance various skills among employees. One is iCoach, an AI-powered simulation for role-playing and practicing different conversations, including client interactions and DEI scenarios.
Their training sessions also cover challenging or costly scenarios to replicate in real life.
5. Pfizer
Pfizer leverages VR technology to train, onboard, and upskill their workforce, from manufacturing floor workers to scientists.
Key Results
Pfizer’s pivot to VR training met their urgent needs and set a new standard for efficiency and effectiveness in workforce development. They reduced their training time by a remarkable 40% while increasing training quality by 300%.
Pfizer Training Program
Before the pandemic, Pfizer’s VR training was in its early stages. COVID-19 has led the company to fast-track its implementation. They urgently needed a scalable way to train more scientists, manufacturing workers, and other staff to speed up vaccine development.
Normally, this would’ve taken months of SOPs and manual walkthroughs.
Instead, Pfizer condensed these documents into an interactive VR experience. They combined this with 3D replicas of critical equipment, virtual training groups, and real-time feedback. This approach paid off big time.
Launch Effective and Scalable VR Training Programs
VR training offers many benefits, such as top-notch training quality, faster learning curves, and big savings—just check out the examples above.
But these benefits won’t show up magically.
One key to unlocking them is working with a top VR MDM like ArborXR. With ArborXR, you can effortlessly deploy and manage headsets, update content across your entire fleet simultaneously, and more. All of these tools are necessary for a seamless rollout.Ready to give ArborXR a spin? Sign up for our 30-day free trial today.
