CM Labs is tackling the talent gap plaguing construction companies today by transforming how the industry trains new workers on equipment, using digital simulators and coursework to expand access to training.
“Training on construction equipment has traditionally been passed down from generation to generation – typically through rural and farming families,” said Mary Lee Shalvoy, director of communications and content for CM Labs. “Our society has changed, and people aren’t exposed to those experiences anymore. We need to find new ways to train operators so we can fill these important jobs.”
CM Labs has developed courses across dozens of equipment types from articulated dump trucks to wheeled excavators. Simulations are based on real jobs that workers would be asked to complete like digging a trench or laying underground piping. Students can even practise loading equipment onto a trailer, driving the truck to a job site, unloading the vehicle in a safe and efficient manner, and connecting an attachment – such as a shovel or rock crusher.
A physics engine replicates various soil types – such as topsoil or sandy terrain – and instructors can monitor course work via multiple angles (including drone view and underground view) and track progress historically or in real time. Students can also interact with a natural-language AI chat bot that can answer questions and provide guidance.
According to Shalvoy, CM Labs targets construction companies, unions and vocational schools with their training simulators.
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