VR job training hits Abilene market with Workforce Solutions

Bill Enriquez, member of the Abilene Independent School District board, tries out a virtual reality toolkit at Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas Wednesday.

Virtual reality isn’t just for highly immersive video games anymore.

Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas is bringing 15 Oculus Rift headsets to the region to offer a new way of demonstrating training skills needed in this and future economies.

Some of the training rigs will remain in their Abilene center, located in the Enterprise Building at 500 Chestnut St. There, people visiting the job center will be able to experience hands-on skills across a number of trades while standing still in a safe space.

Others, though, will travel throughout the Big Country with outreach specialists as Workforce Solutions attempts to bring these skills to workers in more rural communities.

“Our job is to inform these students on the career opportunities and pathways they can take,” said Brooke Bolterman, a career and education outreach specialist with Workforce Solutions.

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