A new virtual training platform is being introduced across Alberta and Saskatchewan to help employers address ongoing labour shortages in the skilled trades sector.
Alberta-based Virtual Trades Inc. has partnered with Austin-based Interplay Learning to make its immersive, simulation-based training platform available to employers, training providers, unions and community organizations throughout the two provinces.
The platform is designed to accelerate workforce development by giving apprentices and workers the opportunity to practice essential skills in a virtual environment before entering active job sites.
According to Shaun Went, founder of Virtual Trades Inc., Western Canada has significant growth opportunities, but many organizations continue to struggle with finding enough qualified workers to meet demand.
He said the platform was created to help bridge that gap by offering immersive trades training that enables employers, educators, unions and community partners to build skills more quickly, improve workplace safety and create stronger pathways into construction careers.
Unlike traditional training methods, Virtual Trades allows users to gain practical experience without investing in costly physical training facilities, consuming materials or exposing trainees to unnecessary jobsite risks.
The platform includes training across 16 core trades, including plumbing, electrical work, HVAC and a variety of construction safety courses. Through realistic simulations, apprentices can repeatedly practice job tasks, helping them build confidence and technical skills before working in real-world environments.
Virtual Trades is now available for licensing and broader implementation across Western Canada, giving organizations a scalable solution for workforce development.
Doug Donovan, CEO of Interplay Learning, said skilled trades employers need training solutions that are flexible, scalable and closely aligned with real working conditions. He added that the partnership with Virtual Trades will help expand access to immersive training across Western Canada, while preparing more workers with the skills and confidence to succeed in the construction industry.
Virtual Trades is a SaaS (Software as a Service) company out of Alberta that provides online training solutions to the skilled trades industry
