Energy Safety Canada is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing safety and workforce development in the energy sector. They are best known for providing safety training certification courses for industry workers. The organization also spreads awareness about diverse career opportunities in the sector – including traditional roles and positions in emerging fields like renewable energy and robotics. As Canada faces a potential labor crisis in the energy industry, Energy Safety Canada aims to help attract new talent.
Canada’s energy sector accounted for approximately 10.3% of nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023. Additionally, energy jobs pay over two times more than the standard industry wage. Yet – the industry still struggles to attract young talent, causing an impending workforce shortage nationwide. Energy Safety Canada faced the challenge of figuring out how to show younger generations that an energy career can be dynamic and exciting.
Energy Safety Canada turned to VR for immersive career exploration. By incorporating the technology into their recruitment efforts, they provide students with a look into the dynamic world of energy careers. Through “virtual field trips” to worksites, gamified training modules, and more, their VR initiatives inspire a future generation of energy workers. They also help transform the perception of the energy industry as a whole. Because of their VR initiative, Energy Safety Canada can reach over 3,000 students every year. With ArborXR, Energy Safety Canada can seamlessly manage 100 headsets across several schools and organizations throughout Canada.
Addressing a Country-Wide Issue:
The Canadian energy sector faces a looming workforce shortage, with 81 in-demand occupations and a growing need to attract new talent. Despite high wages—twice the national average—perceptions of the industry discourage potential candidates. Energy Safety Canada found that students, in particular, viewed the sector as outdated and labor-intensive. Additionally, it’s difficult to showcase the wide range of roles available because it’s not sustainable to bring large groups of students to work sites in remote locations.
To address these issues, Energy Safety Canada needed an engaging, scalable solution to highlight career opportunities and rebrand the sector as tech-driven and innovative.
Turning to VR to Bridge the Workforce Gap
Energy Safety Canada turned to VR to bridge the gap between the perception and reality of the sector. Their program includes four VR experiences, ranging from live 360° tours of worksites to gamified, animated scenarios. These immersive experiences allow users to:
Explore Worksites through Virtual Field Trips:
Through 360° VR tours, students can experience worksites like drilling rigs, oil sands, and processing plants. These immersive experiences enable students to explore the energy sector and understand various roles in a realistic setting.
Engage with Gamified Training Modules
The organization has developed animated and interactive scenarios, such as guiding users through processes with a robot mascot. These gamified modules are designed to engage youth and make learning about energy roles enjoyable and informative.
Test a Wide Range of Careers
Through XR, they showcase over 81 occupations within the energy sector, dispelling myths and emphasizing the diversity of roles available. This initiative is aimed at addressing workforce shortages and rebranding the energy industry as a tech-driven field with transferable skills.
Building an Effective VR Recruitment Program
ArborXR supports Energy Safety Canada in managing over 100 headsets distributed across schools in Alberta and Saskatchewan. ArborXR ensures seamless updates, remote troubleshooting, and user control, all from one platform. This allows the program managers to focus on what’s most important: educating the students.
“Using ArborXR has been a game-changer. It’s streamlined our operations, allowing us to manage over 100 headsets efficiently and focus on delivering impactful experiences.”
– Kelly Johnson, Program Manager, Energy Safety Canada
From efficient app deployment to tracking headsets and student progress, ArborXR supported Energy Safety Canada in building a sustainable, scalable recruitment program that reaches thousands of students annually.
Additionally, using an MDM like ArborXR allowed them to create a controlled, educational environment tailored to their target audience. Energy Safety Canada created support materials for educators to ensure the VR program lessons could continue even after virtual field trips.
Results and Impact with VR:
Since implementing its VR program, Energy Safety Canada has made strides to close the gap in the workforce shortage. The program currently reaches 3,000 students annually and engages more demographics, such as newcomers and immigrants.
It challenges preconceived notions about careers in the energy sector by showcasing its diverse opportunities, from robotics to drone operations. By highlighting these dynamic career paths, Energy Safety Canada is reshaping the industry’s reputation and inspiring the next generation of energy professionals.
The Future of VR in Career Exploration
As Energy Safety Canada assesses the future, they believe they’ve only scratched the surface of VR’s true potential.
One key area of focus is using live labor market data, which can provide real-time insights and make training experiences more relevant to current industry needs.
Additionally, the organization creates web-based versions of VR experiences, making them more accessible to a broader audience. By expanding to more interactive and gamified content, Energy Safety Canada intends to engage users more effectively and create a deeper understanding of safety practices. The organization hopes to improve training outcomes and continue changing perceptions of the energy industry as a forward-thinking and safety-conscious field.
A New Approach to Workforce Development
Energy Safety Canada's innovative use of VR highlights the transformative power of immersive technology in career education. By making career exploration engaging, interactive, and accessible, they’re not just addressing a workforce shortage—they're inspiring a new generation to see the energy sector in a completely new light.
With the help of ArborXR’s VR/AR platform, Energy Safety Canada efficiently manages their VR program at scale, ensuring a seamless experience for thousands of students annually.
The partnership is not only addressing a workforce shortage but also laying the foundation for a skilled, tech-savvy generation that sees the energy industry as a gateway to exciting, future-ready careers.
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