Virtual reality could solve construction’s image problem

Grant Prior 8 years ago
Share

A Virtual Project Manager app has been launched to highlight construction management careers to young people.

Pupils from Edinburgh’s Leith Academy were joined by apprentices from Sharkey Group and First Call Trade Services to launch the app on the Google Play Store this week
Pupils from Edinburgh’s Leith Academy were joined by apprentices from Sharkey Group and First Call Trade Services to launch the app on the Google Play Store this week

The app takes youngsters inside an animated 3D world where they are in charge of building new homes.

The free app is part of Virtual Reality Careers in Construction, developed through Skills Development Scotland’s My World of Work Live! programme with partners the CITB, Heriot-Watt University and Animmersion UK Ltd.

It is one of three mini games available through My World of Work Live! which use Virtual Reality to highlight career opportunities within the construction sector.

Louise Chisholm, Senior Programme Manager for My World of Work Live! said: “This app immerses young people in a construction environment in a fun and engaging way.

“We hope it will help open their eyes to the wealth of opportunity the construction industry in Scotland has to offer.”

John Keenan, Partnerships Manager at CITB Scotland, said: “Virtual Project Manager is an innovative way of capturing young people’s imaginations about the fantastic opportunities a career in construction can provide them with.

construction-app_4

“We hope that it will enable users to experience construction and inspire them to get involved in the development of Scotland’s built environment in the future.”

Sam Harrison, Director of Animmersion UK Ltd said: “Working on this project with the three partners was a very rewarding experience. We were able to develop innovative new ways of bringing educational messages and content to a young audience and the results are truly remarkable.

“The use of virtual reality as a means of educational and training engagement offers boundless possibilities.”

Latest news

Keltbray fine increased to £18m after failed bid rigging appeal

Contractor loses penalty discount for settling with competition authorities
13 hours ago

Luxury house builder goes under with 70 job losses

Octagon Developments in administration after 40 years in business
23 hours ago

Top Ten best read stories of 2024

The biggest headlines of an eventful year. Have a good one and here's to a successful 2025
1 day ago

BAM Nuttall fined £800,000 after concrete skip tragedy

Young labourer killed by falling bale arm
2 days ago

Keltbray infrastructure business reveals new name

AUREOS means "new dawn" after private equity acquisition
1 day ago

Stiffer fines for over-running street works from next Summer

Cash raised from lane rentals to be channeled into pothole repairs
1 day ago

£113m Basildon rental homes scheme seals build finance

Work expected to start early next year on Market Square project
1 day ago

Notting Hill Genesis seeks more tier 1 repairs contractors

London housing trust seeks eight firms for new £1.5bn repairs framework
1 day ago

Reclaimed steel oil rig columns worked into London office revamp

Curo will use reclaimed bricks and steel for Fitzrovia office overhaul
2 days ago

CITB delays levy approval consultation

Levy agreement talks pushed back by ongoing review into effectiveness of training body
2 days ago

Ofwat approves £104bn water industry spending plan

Household water bills to rise by 36% to fund quadrupling of investment
2 days ago

Costain/ Siemens JV clinches HS2 power supply job

£300m deal for HV power supply systems over the 225km route
2 days ago

Demolition team assembles on Multiplex London Wall site

Erith to start work next month at Deutsche Bank's former headquarters
3 days ago

Norwich Council acts to revive £300m Anglia Square scheme

Council uses Homes England funding to buy stalled site with planning for 1,100 homes
2 days ago

Go-ahead for 4,500-home Cambridgeshire new town

Waterbeach new town plan stalled three years ago after an Environment Agency objection
2 days ago

Henry Boot to take total control of Stonebridge Homes

Deal worth at least £30m
2 days ago

HS2 costs could hit £66bn

Government looking for next estimate to be lower
3 days ago

Mace to close construction logistics arm

Specialist business being wound down
3 days ago

National Grid to invest £35bn over next five years

Plan set out for record investment in electricity transmission infrastructure
3 days ago

Profits double at Barhale

Civils specialist sees order book top £1bn
3 days ago

Balfour wins 68km HV underground power cable deal

Main works to start next year on Eastern Green Link 2 job
3 days ago

Stunning site wrap unveiled on Sloane Street

Hoarding creates illusion of fully formed façade on £53m Galliford Try job
3 days ago

Heathrow Airport upgrade spend takes off again

Airport operator will spend £2.3bn over the next two years
3 days ago

Government buys back over 36,000 military homes

Public ownership deal to release wave of upgrade and new build work
4 days ago

Story Contracting staff braced for rail job losses

Work coming through slower than expected from Network Rail
4 days ago

Ballymore submits two plans for 3,700 East London homes

Construction could start in 2025 on Thames Road and Knights Road schemes
4 days ago

Blackpool council steps in on failed developer’s £300m scheme

Blackpool Central site clearance to start in the New Year as hunt starts for new developer
5 days ago

Brookfield submits retro-first London office plan

Milton Gate plan for Square Mile will hike space by nearly 50%
4 days ago

Bowmer + Kirkland gets start date for £100m Siemens site

Construction to begin early next year on Chippenham scheme
5 days ago

Torsion sells under-construction Leeds BTR scheme

Concrete frame due to start soon on 300-apartment complex
5 days ago

Contractor services