Bodyswaps

Soft skills are becoming ever more important in the workplace. Digital tech can help to offer new ways to practice those skills before young people ever set foot in a real work environment.

The project seeks to transform how vocational learning happens and help people in work, or in preparation for work, improve communication skills to progress better and faster in their career. It will do this by empowering FE Colleges and organisations employing workers coming from FE to practice their communication skills (clarity, confidence, assertiveness, emotional intelligence) by acting out, with their own voice, realistic workplace scenarios in Virtual Reality.

This soft skills simulator – powered by VR & AI – aims to improve students’ employability and career progression by enabling FE Colleges and Vocational Training providers across the country to bridge the soft skills gap and complement learners’ technical skills with the required soft skills, cost-effectively, remotely and at a time that suits the learner.

Working with pilot partners (Harlow College, South Essex College and Writtle University College) Bodyswaps will also design and develop a Performance Feedback App enabling trainees to save and share simulated performances, and teachers or career advisors to review and feedback on these remotely at any time.