Interplay Learning, the leading provider of online and virtual reality training for the essential skilled trades, is partnering with Warren Central High School (WCHS) in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to enhance the school's career technical education (CTE) academy program and fast-track students' hands-on introduction to career pathways in the construction industry. 

Through the partnership, ninth-grade students in the WCHS Architecture, Construction, Mechatronics and Engineering (ACME) Academy can engage with Interplay Learning's immersive 3D virtual-reality simulations and training content before starting the full construction CTE program. WCHS's official CTE programs are held at an offsite technical education center and are available to students in the tenth grade and above.

"With Interplay Learning's advanced, engaging platform and content, we can introduce younger students to sophisticated training simulations a year before they enter the official CTE program," said Traci Esparza, a coach in WCHS's ACME Academy. "That experience means they can get more out of the ACME program immediately and throughout their education. Before implementing Interplay Learning's VR technology, younger students had limited opportunities for the hands-on experience that is so critical to CTE and skilled trades learning."

As part of a district-wide initiative to upgrade educational infrastructure in Vicksburg, WCHS was able to leverage awarded funds to offer Interplay's virtual reality simulations to students.

"The district is dedicated to providing a variety of career paths in multiple industries for our students," Esparza said. "In our CTE and academy programs, students get up-close experience that helps them make informed decisions about their future, and they learn critical skills and other credentials that will kickstart their career. Interplay Learning streamlines the process so students are better prepared when they enter CTE programs and can take full advantage of everything our academies offer. And by better utilizing our resources, we will be able to expand our programs to a wider range of students."

Interplay Learning's immersive simulation courses and skills assessments allow students to engage with lifelike 3D simulations and content designed to prepare them for formal CTE education and ultimately successful careers in the construction industry.

"Interplay is committed to helping educational institutions transform the training landscape for the skilled trades industries," said Doug Donovan, founder, and CEO of Interplay Learning. "With our innovative training platform, the instructors and leaders at Warren Central High School can equip students with valuable experience and skills that will help them build meaningful careers and will also help business owners in Vicksburg and the surrounding area meet the evolving workforce challenges of the 21^st century." 

Interplay Learning builds immersive training courses to help students achieve better careers and better lives post-graduation. Its award-winning online and virtual reality courses for the essential skilled trades, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, solar, multifamily maintenance, and facilities maintenance, is designed to be integrated with traditional teaching methods for a more customized and effective learning model. By leveraging interactive simulation technology, students can learn and practice hands-on methods from a desktop, phone, tablet, or in virtual reality to ensure they build the right skills and retain critical knowledge needed to enter the workforce.