VR-based technical training labs improving safety, inclusion, and learning outcomes for blue-collar workers, including employees with hearing impairments.
In collaboration with Türk Traktör, TİSK and GAN Turkiye supported the creation of Virtual Reality (VR) Technical Training Labs across two factories, offering 12 immersive modules that give blue‑collar workers a safe, hands‑on learning experience without production risks.
Traditional training methods relied on theoretical explanations and instructor demonstrations, leaving trainees to perform tasks for the first time in real operational environments, which increased the risk of accidents and quality issues. The challenge was even greater for employees with hearing impairments, who often could not be trained effectively on technical tasks or OHS risks and were therefore confined to low‑risk, low‑skill roles.
Guided by the 70‑20‑10 Learning Model and the Theory of Multiple Intelligences, TİSK, GAN Turkiye, and Türk Traktör designed an innovative VR environment enabling repeated practice, stronger retention, and significantly higher engagement. A landmark achievement was the integration of technical sign language terminology into VR modules, making the training fully accessible to deaf and hard‑of‑hearing employees for the first time in Türkiye’s manufacturing sector.
- First use of VR for vocational and technical training of employees and interns in the automotive industry in Türkiye.
- First VR-based vocational training modules for operators and interns.
- First large-scale experimental academic study on VR in technical training (published internationally).
- Safer, more effective technical training, allowing employees to practice repeatedly without exposure to real world operational risks.
- Higher learning retention and engagement, supported by immersive VR, interactivity, and practice-based design aligned with the 70 20 10 model and learning science.
- Pioneering inclusion for hearing-impaired employees, through the development and integration of technical sign language terminology into VR modules and a comprehensive initiative dedicated to their technical development.
- Academic and international validation, including a large-scale experimental study on VR in technical education, resulting in an internationally published article in a peer-reviewed journal.
- Technology transfer to Europe, with VR based technical training adopted by schools in Poland, Hungary, and Italy through the project.