Workplace simulators take skills training to a new level

30 Sep 2016 - by Staff reporter

Specialised freight

training company,

MetroMinds,

will be offering

workplace simulation

training for a number of

different skills sets by

January 2017, according

to company CEO,

Juliette Fourie.

This follows the

successful introduction

earlier this year

of MetroMinds

simulation courses

focused on warehousing

and distribution.

“We believe that by

creating simulated work

scenarios, systems and

processes, the transition

into a job is likely to be

much more efficient,” she

said, pointing out that

while workplace simulation

was not a new idea or a

revolutionary innovation,

MetroMinds believed that

simulations and learnerships

provided immediate

return on investment for

organisations.

“Being exposed to this

industry for the last 17 years,

I’ve made it my personal

objective to find evidence

to show the industry that

education and training play

a significant role in the

success of new job entrants

in the workplace through

simulators,” Fourie said.

According to her, the

benefits to the employee, the

employer and the industry

are found in more than

just building a skills set

but also the consequential

benefits derived from the

simulator in the form of

time and motion savings and

performance benefits.

“Workplace simulators

can be used for up-skilling

to a new system, process

or industry

change,

as well as

refreshing all

employees’

skills sets,”

commented

Fourie,

adding that

practising

activities and

functions in

a simulated

process was

proven to

give participants more

confidence in their ability to

execute tasks.

She believes the

implementation of

workplace simulators in

the logistics sector could

help reach the target that

government’s National

Development Plan (NDP)

has set to

decrease

unemployment

to 14% by

2030.

“The positive

impact of

simulators

stretches

across

industries,

businesses,

individuals

and

communities

and could be a solution

to many important issues

like poor performance,

lack of training and

unemployment,” said Fourie.

INSERT & CAPTION

Workplace simulators

can be used for

up-skilling to a new

system, process or

industry change.

– Juliette Fourie