Antonio Fernandez Perez is an EdTech expert with dilated experience in the digitalization of welding training using AR/VR across +70 countries. He is also director of Business & Partnerships at Seabery Augmented Training.
How Augmented Reality & eLearning Help to Overcome Traditional Challenges of Welding Training
2020 has been a challenging year for Vocational Education & Training (and all the education system) due to the difficulties to execute training programs on a normal basis. Technology has been the main support to deliver Distance Learning and avoid, as much as possible, stopping classes completely during the year. However, this has not been as easy as it sounds due to the difficulties to digitalize education programs in such a short time. Some of the key challenges have been:
- Lack of awareness about EdTech applications (e.g., eLearning platforms, video conference software, etc.)
- Outdated train the trainer’s program of our training providers.
- Lack of support EdTech equipment in place (e.g., simulators.)
Looking forward and in a positive way, the situation has forced the sector to take serious measures about this challenge and get our training providers with the required tools to continue, in a way, with this way of training. In today’s session, we will see how the specialty of Welding Training can be digitalized with the use of eLearning and Augmented Reality simulation technology; the combination of these together with the necessary real workshop practices is called Augmented Training Methodology and has proven to be very useful for both training
providers and students, since it allows to:
- Save training costs due to the reduction of training materials (e.g., steel, consumables…)
- Speed up training (more practices in less time)
- Increase safety thanks to simulation.
- Lower significantly the impact to the environment thanks to the lower amount of gases and steel used.
- Use Augmented Reality simulation & gamification to increase the attraction of students to this profession.