With the ongoing labor shortage, there’s a pressing need to attract more workers to the field. Industry players at the forefront of addressing this challenge are finding creative ways to do so — and using simulation technology to address that need.
The Associated Builders and Contractors New Jersey chapter, for example, is bringing simulator-equipped trailers to career fairs, while the Missouri Public Utility Alliance is organizing free bootcamps on technical skills and safety protocols for anyone interested in a career in utilities. But they aren’t stopping there.
While bolstering new entrants to construction, they’re also finding ways to train them safely, quickly, and effectively. In fact, simulation training — also referred to as virtual training — is revolutionizing heavy equipment operator training all over the country.
For instance, at Baker Technical Institute (BTI), a Pacific Northwest-based nonprofit technical college focused on the skilled trades, simulation has helped reduce costs, speed up training, and boost student engagement. Doug Dalton, President of BTI, stressed that when his organization developed its heavy equipment operator program, it followed the sage advice of equipment manufacturers to embrace technology.
Technological solutions, namely simulation training systems for heavy equipment, address the labor shortage problem from multiple angles, helping to attract, train, and retain workers. Simulation training systems integrate simulators, heavy equipment training packs, and trainer tools into a single, comprehensive system that accelerates training programs and attracts young people to the field while curbing turnover.
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From the outset, BTI designed its heavy equipment operation program to incorporate simulation training as a stepping stone before training with real equipment, and that helps lower costs.
According to Dalton, each session on a simulator saves BTI from burning fuel and incurring repairs on equipment, while also lowering insurance costs. Those savings add up for any organization.
Dalton also noted that students are increasingly receptive to digital training solutions over traditional lectures and coursework. Generation Z (and before long, Generation Alpha) prefer digital solutions in banking, business, education, and many other areas of life. They have a native familiarity with screens and technology and respond well to virtual training.
Although a simulation training system is far more realistic and education-focused than a video game, the gamified elements of this type of approach — such as level-based courses with increasing difficulty — correspond to the virtual environments in their life experience and increase engagement.
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BTI structures its curriculum so that two-thirds of a student’s time is spent on simulators and the remaining third on live equipment.
“It’s the whole idea of involving students and using hands-on learning and project-based learning,” Dalton said. “The engagement factor goes up, and when the engagement factor goes up … the depth of learning increases.”
BTI found the learning rate with simulation training to be approximately 2.5 times faster than training in the field with real equipment. Other early adopters of simulation training technology experienced similar results. Mont-Laurier Vocational School in Canada, for example, found that 12 hours on a simulator equated to a full week training on the actual equipment.
Why this huge improvement in learning rates? It comes down to a combination of factors, including simulation’s ability to allow students to practice maneuvers again and again without having to deal with the setup and cleanup of real training courses.
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Simulation also makes corrective training easier and faster. Instructors can stand over a student and deliver immediate feedback, even putting hands over controls to show exactly how a particular situation should be approached. A simulation training system also collects important performance data, such as cycle times, idle times, and safety violations.
These data points help trainers easily tackle strengths and weaknesses and quickly improve student performance. One trainer can also use a simulation training system to train many students at once, making better use of available resources.
As the construction industry seeks to solve the workforce shortage, retaining experienced operators is critical. A successful career can last upwards of 40 years. In that time, technology advances, regulations change, and best practices adapt to evolving factors. Operators need access to cutting-edge training resources to keep their skills sharp (especially after periods of absence) and to facilitate opportunities for advancement.
Across many industries, strategies to curb turnover follow the same theme. Aside from compensation, employees are more likely to stay with an employer if they feel successful and see a pathway for advancement. According to a 2023 Gallup poll, “advancement, development, or career opportunities” was the second most common reason (after compensation) why employees left their previous employer.
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Simulation training systems provide a valuable tool on this front, allowing employees to train for different equipment types during downtime, refresh their skills, and stay on the leading edge.
Because simulation training systems make use of the latest technology in heavy equipment, experienced operators can practice with new equipment and features in a safe, controlled environment. This has the dual effect of improving the skillset of veteran operators while opening up new opportunities for them.
In the event that a new position does need to be filled, simulation also provides support. A skills challenge using a simulation training system can demonstrate how a candidate might operate the machinery in the real world. This ensures that each hire is qualified for the position and has the skills to be productive from day one.
According to a recent workforce survey by the Associated General Contractors of America and Arcoro, only 12 percent of construction companies have invested in augmented, mixed, and virtual reality training devices. Those that have are reaping the rewards.
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An engineering-grade simulation training system, in which simulated equipment behaves like the real thing, allows students to get a real sense of the machinery. The equipment moves as it should and reacts to uneven terrain and resistance realistically. Paired with a trainer’s guidance, students can gain skills at a much faster pace than they would on real equipment alone.
A simulator also works as an effective recruitment tool, skills testing tool, and resource for career advancement — providing benefits that tackle the labor shortage from multiple angles.
Those that have brought simulation into their training programs have gained a competitive edge in a tight labor market. As the labor shortage continues, it’s another way construction companies, training centers, and organizations can stay ahead of the curve.
Alan Limoges serves as the Manager of Product Growth at CM Labs, where he leverages a background in engineering and a track record of cultivating strategic partnerships. His expertise in the simulation industry helps him drive strategic alliances and harness CM Labs’ unique technology to deliver innovative solutions.
