Most electricians and plumbers say they experience challenges related to training technicians, according to a new survey conducted by Hanover Research and Interplay Learning, the leading provider of online and virtual reality training for the essential skilled trades.

In an online survey of 289 decision-makers for plumbing and electrical firms, 90% of electricians and 79% of plumbers report facing some training challenges, with training time, engagement, and results for new technicians among the most common concerns.

According to the survey, the top 5 training issues electricians and plumbers face are the following:

1. Finding time for techs to train
2. Taking too long to train new technicians 
3. Having new technicians that don't feel prepared after completing training
4. Providing  consistent training across multiple locations 
5. Recruiting new technicians due to labor shortage

Plumbing and electrical decision-makers experience some satisfaction with the training resources they typically use. Half of electricians report complete satisfaction with on-the-job training, and half of plumbers report complete satisfaction with training quizzes. But the report highlights an industry-wide need for highly effective and scalable training solutions for electrical and plumbing technicians of all skill and experience levels.

The report also found that plumbing and electrical firms want engaging and interactive training with the option for techs to get hands-on practice in a safe environment. Decision-makers reported they need training that helps ramp new technicians faster and accelerates profitable business growth.

Tools that can quickly train techs to be job-ready and also ensure that experienced techs have opportunities to update and grow their skills are critical for helping companies build the workforce of skilled, confident techs necessary for success in today's marketplace.

"Consistent, effective training is critical for success in the plumbing and electrical industries, but it's clear that companies struggle with providing training solutions that deliver meaningful results," said Doug Donovan, founder and CEO of Interplay Learning. "Business owners are looking for training tools that help them overcome the common obstacles they face so they can save time and money and drive the growth of their companies."

Interplay Learning offers a growing catalog of expert-led training and hands-on 3D simulations for technicians in service industries, including HVAC, plumbing and electrical. With the company's innovative, proven training solutions, businesses can offer flexible, immersive training experiences in a risk-free environment that lets them gain the critical knowledge necessary to get the job done right the first time.

Interplay Learning's training offerings are comprehensive, scalable, and can be customized to fit the needs of any team. Interplay makes it easy for plumbing and electrical companies to administer and manage their training program through one simple platform and allows them to utilize curated learning paths so technicians learn the right skills, in the right order, ultimately creating a career laddering program designed to improve engagement and reduce turnover.

Interplay Learning builds better training, better careers, and better lives for its customers and their employees. Its award-winning online and virtual reality training for the essential skilled trades, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, solar, multifamily maintenance, and facilities maintenance workforces, is scalable and more effective than traditional training methods. By leveraging immersive learning technology, Interplay's customers are able to train and practice hands-on learning from a desktop, phone, tablet, or in virtual reality, resulting in a highly trained employee who is job-ready in weeks, not years.