A mid-Michigan non-profit is offering a new way for students and adults with obstacles to gain job skills. Mid- Michigan Industries has started a new virtual reality program for job exploration. The program allows users to spend the day in the life of a job of their choosing without leaving the room.
Users of the VR oculus, a tethered headset hooked to a computer, can access twenty-three job options to try out in the virtual world before pursuing a career in the field of choice.
M.M.I. spokesperson Amanda Lawson said programs vary from the hospitality field, first responder training to robot maintenance and skilled trades.
“So, I can choose the construction field, there's some different job opportunities that I can choose from in there. And then they walk you through what a day might look like, or the skills that you need. You are using the saw and learning about the different kinds of saw blades and things like that. So, it's really neat,” she said.
M.M.I. works with youth and adults with disabilities offering programs for connecting to community and connecting to employment and then supporting the youth that take part in that program.
“Employment specialists go into the school at their slotted time and teach their lesson, that may include interview skills and other soft skill development. They do a lot of job exploration. So that we're, we offer, those staff can go into the classrooms and do virtual reality job training with students,” Lawson explained.
“With those wraparound services between meeting with students in school and then working with them over the summer, we hope to see just really great outcomes. It should be a seamless transition for those young people going from their education into the work world.”
She added that adults also can try out the VR training tool as well.
“It's really important to us to break down the stigma for people with disabilities. I think that just creating those new partnerships and educating the community about people with disabilities, and what it's like to be truly inclusive as a community is maybe not a challenge, but an opportunity for us to, you know, always be working,” Lawson said.
