Episode 88

Don’t Roll Out XR Training Until You Have This in Place

Guest name: Bharani Rajakumar
Guest title: Founder
Guest company: Transfr
Host: Zahra Massicotte

Brief description of the episode

XR isn’t a miracle, and it isn’t a gimmick. Somewhere between the hype and the skepticism lies a clear-eyed view of where immersive learning fits within workforce learning. Bharani Rajakumar, Founder, Transfr, joins Zahra to talk through where XR earns its place, where it doesn’t, and what every workforce and education leader should consider before their next investment.

Key Takeaways:

- XR needs a strong enough “reward” to justify the setup effort. A cool experience alone is not enough.
- It works best when learners need exposure, practice, or confidence that they cannot easily get in the real world.
- Let’s take justice-impacted learners as an example – XR can help build knowledge, skills, and confidence before an interview.
- It is especially useful when connected to a classroom-to-career pathway, including career exploration and training for real employment opportunities.
- The fit depends heavily on the use case and learner segment. Every segment behaves differently, so the same XR program will not work everywhere in the same way.
- XR is strongest when the learner needs to practice something hands-on, physical, risky, or hard to access.
- Examples include working with a patient in a hospital or being placed on a dangerous construction site.
- It is useful where the “real thing” is not accessible, such as climbing a broadband tower when a learner is under 18, uninsured, or not yet trained for safety.
- It fits rapid workforce training for roles that do not require a four-year degree, including advanced manufacturing, skilled trades, electricians, broadband work, and data
  center-related labor needs.
- It is less essential for skills that can be learned well enough through mobile, web, or standard eLearning, such as some soft skills or executive-function training.
- The experience should be based on something relevant in the real world.
- It should model tasks people actually perform on the job, in an apprenticeship, or in safety training.
- Tasks should align with credentials when funding or institutional requirements depend on credential alignment.
- The design should focus on common mistakes people make when they are new to a job or occupation.
- A digital coach can guide the learner through the experience without judgment and help them learn what they need for a credential or interview.
- XR still has more friction than a web or mobile app.
- Institutions have to manage hardware, controllers, login, Wi-Fi, and simulation downloads.
- Wi-Fi quality can vary by geography, institution, and even by building.
- Educators may look at the hardware, feel unsure about how to operate it, and then avoid using it.
- Demo conditions can hide the real ease-of-use problem because someone is usually helping the buyer through the experience.
- Someone needs to own the implementation. If nobody owns it, it will not be implemented properly.
- That owner needs to think beyond the headset and manage the connected experience from career exploration to pathway enrollment to employer interview.
- Educators on the ground need to feel that the program is easy to use in their day-to-day teaching or training flow.
- The program should not require educators to completely change how they teach or manage their day.
- Expectations should be clear early so the institution can track usage, engagement, retention, outcomes, and accountability.
- Employer buy-in needs to happen upfront.
- If employers are not involved in designing or implementing the program, the experience stays purely academic.
- Employers should help decide which simulations are relevant.
- Learners need to understand the point of the training by seeing the real opportunities, pathways, and occupations available in their community.
- The strongest buyer question is: which employers can we bring to the table, and which occupations will this be most effective for?

Don’t Roll Out XR Training Until You Have This in Place

Brief description of the episode

Key Takeaways:

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