PEMBROKE — Some Union Chapel Elementary School sixth graders participated Monday in virtual reality simulation demonstrations in automotive, welding and customer service.
Luke Lowry could be seen working to change the oil on a vehicle through a Transfr virtual reality software simulation.
“It was fun. I would do this all the time,” Lowry said, of using the virtual reality software.
The demonstrations from the Transfr company were part of a project supported by Robeson County Commissioner Judy Sampson and her recently formed Simulation Knowledge in Learning Task Force, which seeks to give all students an opportunity to explore career paths. Members of the task force include Sherry Watson, Scottie Locklear, Jeanette Chavis and Judy Sampson.
The school will pilot the software including a set of virtual reality goggles for the remainder of the school year.
From there, Sampson and the SKIL Task Force will gauge the interest of other schools in the county. The goal is to explore grant funding to possibly expand the software to more schools in the district, Sampson said.
“We want to try it here and get some input from the students, teachers and principal,” Sampson said of piloting the software at Union Chapel Elementary School.
“The Public Schools of Robeson County is grateful to Commissioner Sampson and the SKIL Task Force for this opportunity for our students. This software gives our students a fun and unique way to engage in career exploration in a setting that is tailored to them,” said PSRC Superintendent Dr. Fredddie Williamson.
The software contains preloaded virtual reality lessons and demonstrations across various career fields like hospitality and tourism, trades, and public safety. The school will pilot the software first to sixth graders.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to prepare our children at an early age for 21st-century careers,” said Antonio Wilkins, principal of Union Chapel Elementary School. “I think it’s going to expand their thinking on their careers and allow them to begin exploring potential careers at an early age.”
Students gathered in the school’s media center to watch a demonstration of a virtual simulated oil change in which Johnnie Lynn, State Workforce Manager with Transfr, participated in a prompt that allowed her to change the oil of a vehicle. The demonstration was cast to a SmartBoard, which allowed students to watch the virtual simulation as Lynn and other students participated.
Prior to the demonstration, Lynn asked students what they wanted to be when they grew up.
Students gave various answers like becoming a veterinarian or a doctor.
“Maybe you don’t know what you want to be because maybe you haven’t seen enough yet,” she said. “Through virtual reality and these Oculus headsets, you’re going to get to change oil today … The idea is to just really get you guys involved and see different jobs.”
“You may not be able to go to all these companies and try all these things…but you can go virtually and try out all these careers,” she said.
Wesley Jacobs, an English Language Arts and Social Studies teacher at the school, watched as some of his sixth-grade students participated in virtual reality simulations.
Jacobs said the software could give students an outlet and get them excited about learning and about a future career.
Jacobs said many students are accustomed to working with technology and some students play video games at home.
“It’s almost like we are introducing a concept that they are already comfortable and familiar with,” he said.
Jacobs said he was excited to see all of the career fields represented on the software.
“It’s a fun way to learn a skilled trade,” Sampson said.
The commissioner said Fortune 500 companies use Transfr to train employees.
“This is the training of the future,” she said.
