Specialised freight training company, Metro Minds, 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 Metro Minds 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, Metro Minds believed that simulations and learnerships provided an 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 skill 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 practicing 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.
