Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco) and the College of the North Atlantic – Qatar (CNA-Q) will explore the use of augmented reality for training students in the oil and gas sector.
As part of a research project, technicians at CNA-Q will identify three to five critical tasks commonly performed on one piece of equipment.
Customised augmented reality learning objects will then be developed to help perform those tasks with volunteer students from CNA-Q’s engineering programme testing their efficiency.
In addition, data will be collected from learners to determine attitudes towards training using augmented reality-based learning objects.
Dr Mohammed Yousef Al Mulla, vice chairman and CEO of Qapco, said: “We believe that augmented reality can increase the level of critical competencies needed for employment, such as a technician in Qatar’s oil and gas sector.
“We are first adopters in the use of augmented reality training and performance support solutions in the oil and gas sector in Qatar and in the GCC region and are excited about this new technology as Qapco would benefit from a better prepared trainee workforce and from exposure to performance support and training solutions that could potentially be integrated into its our own workplace training programmes.”
Dr Ken MacLeod, president of CNA-Q, said: “CNA-Q will gain a better understanding of the potential for AR-based training and its application in our blended learning solutions.
“As a result, Qatari students will benefit from an enhanced, 21st century learning experience that is not only completely safe, but taps into their preferred learning style and is more engaging and motivational.”
“Additionally, because we will be developing Augmented Reality learning objects that are customized to Qapco’s equipment and procedures, Qapco technician trainees will be better prepared for their careers in the oil and gas sector,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service
Augmented reality (AR) is a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data.
AR can provide visual aid to perform a task and is said to greatly reduce the time needed for completing a task, decreasing the risk of human error.
