A request for offer (RFO) details the plans to incorporate the high-tech presentations as a coordinated effort of three government agencies.
According to the RFO, the Texas Workforce Commission’s Education Outreach team will cooperate with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to provide a way for students to explore high-wage, high-demand careers in their region. Through VR work-based learning simulations, the TWC believes it can reduce the cost, time and resources to showcase a day in the life of a career to students, no matter their location.
According to Stephen Baer, chief creative officer at The Game Agency in Stamford, Conn., VR and augmented reality (AR) training will be employed as time goes on.
The visuals range from standard TV resolution to the most advanced video games sold today, including headsets that provide 360-degree immersion.
“There’s so many different use cases for immersing someone in a virtual environment in a way that even things like traditional gaming can’t do,” Baer said.
The Game Agency — which Baer established in 2007 and has since been acquired by ELB Learning — has developed training tools for sales, cybersecurity and communications, among other fields.
“We’ve done a lot of work in the factory space in particular, and … this goes kind of back to what I was talking about with medical devices, thinking about equipment but also understanding protocol.”
Baer said he does not believe The Game Agency is planning to submit a proposal to the TWC for this project.
The RFO requires the solution to provide a minimum of 20 high-quality occupation simulations and be able to expand and update the library and offer an ability for students to screen for interest in particular careers, improving student placement and job retention.
According to the RFO, the objectives for secondary, postsecondary and career education are to:
- Provide access to an immersive career exploration experience for students in multiple regions, districts and campuses.
- Connect engaging career exploration simulations to local labor market data.
- Align exploration to career and education/training pathways beyond high school.
- Allow students to have a hands-on experience in the world of work by showcasing multiple occupations and industries in a risk-controlled capacity.
- Expose students, parents, faculty and staff to occupations that may be in demand in their areas.
- Provide opportunities for campuses to build partnerships in those industries or with local employers.
- Allow the possibility for career and technical education programs to grow in ways that support local employers, community-based organizations, community members and schools.
- Gain progress toward the THECB’s Building a Talent Strong Texas state plan.
The contact person is Gaye Smith. Proposals are due to TWC at 2 p.m. Sept. 20.
