Extended Reality Opportunities and

Challenges for Apprenticeships

SIMONAS GAUŠAS
DIANA ČOP
Introduction (I)
 Rapidly growing XR* market in Europe: it is expected to grow between €35 billion and
€65 billion by 2025 (Ecorys, 2021).
 XR is likely to transform apprenticeships across Europe (incl. innovative training
approaches, changed skills supply).

! Despite this growth, XR is still a relatively unexplored area and research on the
application of XR to apprenticeships is very limited.

→ This paper aims to investigate the potential affordances and challenges of XR

application in apprenticeship to fill in the existing research gaps in this area to better
prepare for the upcoming changes.

* Extended Realty (XR) in this paper is understood as an umbrella term used to refer to Virtual Reality
(VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) that blend the physical and digital worlds to create
immersive and interactive experiences.
 Introduction (II)
This paper originates from the DG CNCT study ‘Extended reality: Opportunities,
success stories and challenges (health, education)’, led by Visionary Analytics.

This paper complements the study with additional insights and examples of the
opportunities and challenges of XR, with a particular focus on apprenticeships.
→ Mainly: construction trades, automotive technician, healthcare, manufacturing and engineering, transport,
welding, clothing.

The examples of XR-based tools presented in this paper are applied in company
CVET/ procedural training.
Methodology
Methods applied in the DG CNCT study:
 Interviews (18) with key stakeholders (incl. academics and researchers in the field of
XR; practitioners and industry representatives; policymakers/ government officials; and
representatives of end users of XR technologies);
 11 case studies of European XR companies across different vertical market
segments to illustrate the different types and business models of European players
in XR;
 Success stories of XR companies in the sectors of health (AMA); education (Varjo);
engineering and manufacturing (Holo-Light); and logistics and manufacturing
(TeamViewer)
 An education sector workshop (27 participants).

Additional researh methods applied:

 Desk research to identify specific XR tools that can be offered in the form of
apprenticeship.
Research findings:
XR affordances in apprenticeships

XR affordances in apprenticeships by objectives of intervention:

 Procedural training
 Awareness-raising
 Creative opportunities in art and design
 Development of computational thinking skills

XR affordances in apprenticeships by instructional approaches:

 Virtual field trips
 Visualisation of complex processes
Research findings:
XR affordances in apprenticeships by objectives
 Procedural training: development of hard skills.
- e.g., EPICSAVE is VR simulated environment for emergency simulation
training (i.e., paramedic vocational training).

 Awareness-raising: raising learners’ awareness about

susitainability.
- e.g., AVARES integrates a developed virtual world for more attractive learning in
the challenging field of Renewable Energy Sources (RES).

 Creative opportunities in art and design: virtual exploring/

designing of the art.
- e.g., eTryOn is an VR-based app, which makes it possible to create clothes in 3D
and view a high-quality image that reflects the texture of the material used,
providing a realistic design and sewing experience.

 Development of computational thinking skills:

development of problem-solving skills.
- e.g., VR4STEM assists young people to gain entrepreneurship skills in the
STEM domain and the related ICT industry in XR settings.
 Research findings:
XR affordances in apprenticeships by instructional approaches

 Virtual field trips with HMDs, smart glasses, 2D or 3D

VR simulators: virtual exploration of the world through
both time and space.
- e.g., Google Expeditions is a VR app that allows students to explore
different locations and subjects, such as science, history, and geography

 Visualisation of complex processes using AR and/or 3D

settings: visualisation of learning material.
-e.g., VR learning environment helps participants understand and
determine the state of a built structure, with a focus on planning and
identifying necessary repairs and finishing work as part of education
for construction and plasterwork trades.
-e.g., ViMeLa is based on a blended learning method involving theory
classes and using VR as an experimentation tool for teaching
mechatronics.
Research findings:
The positive effects of XR adoption in the
apprenticeship

Economic impacts:
Social impacts:
 Lower financial costs: reduced
 Behavioural effects: safer
transportation and equipment
learning environment, XR-based
costs.
training scenarios that would be
 Lower human resource costs:
barely possible or too dangerous
automated monitoring of
in real-life settings.
apprentices‘ learning process.
 Psychological effects: getting rid
 Lower time costs: better learning
of costly and dangerous
outcomes in less time due to
consequences (e.g., wasted
higher engagement in the learning
materials or damaged appliances)
process.
Research findings:
The negative effects of XR adoption in the
apprenticeship
 Content-related risks – possible catastrophic/harsh images,
resulting in aggravated trauma symptoms.
 Personal identify risks – frequent embodiments may result in
altering personal identities.
 Ethical risks – a possible increase in harmful social interactions.
 Privacy risks – illegal data tracking and exploitation of personal
data breaching the GDPR.
 Medical safety risks – a possible motion sickness and temporary
modification of sensorimotor and perceptual capacities after using
XR tools.
Research findings:
The barriers of XR adoption in the apprenticeship
 A lack of familiarisation, awareness and trust towards XR technologies
among stakeholders (i.e., trainers and apprentices).
 A lack of digital skills among both trainers and apprentices.
 Costly XR adoption and/or path dependency on already purchased
traditional learning training tools.
 Technical limitations of XR may lead to limited simulation scenarios,
unrealistic or too simplified views may not reflect the actual training
conditions and result in insufficient skills of apprentices.
 Uncertainty in XR adoption due to lack of guidance and policy
provisions (e.g., no guidelines for VET schools or companies on the use of
XR technologies.
 Research findings:
Public initiatives – who does what?

 Belgium: The Ministry of Education has allocated €5.5 million for XR technologies,
providing guidelines, funding, and calls for tenders for research and teacher training. They
also plan to develop XR software tailored to education curricula through collaboration with
the education sector.

 Denmark: The Danish government's digitalisation strategy recognises VR and AR's

importance in VET. The strategy states that inclusive technologies strengthen the link
between theoretical training in school and practical training in companies (e.g., through
realistic visualisation of the working environment). To support this, the government funds
schools to acquire VR/AR tools in 2023.

 Lithuania: "Next Generation Lithuania" plan promotes economic recovery, green and
digital development, including XR technologies like high-performance computing and
VR/AR solutions. The "Green and Digital Competences for Vocational Training" initiative
prioritises VR and AR for flexible VET. The government plans to invest in training resources
for the Vocational Training Advancement Platform (VATP), delivered through distance and
blended modes.
Policy recommendations
1. Train teachers/trainers on XR applications and technologies to
develop digital skills.
2. Provide guidance and national education funds for VET schools
to adopt XR technologies.
3. Establish a regulatory policy body to address ethical, legal,
and data protection issues related to XR adoption.
4. Fund research projects to evaluate the potential effects of XR,
considering both positive and negative aspects.
5. Foster collaboration between teachers/apprentices and XR
developers through joint discussions, workshops, or
hackathons.
6. Complement traditional training methods with XR-based
training for apprentices' skill development (instead of fully
changing the traditional approach).
 Thank you

@visionary.analytics