The nation’s leading educational resource for career technical education in the building industry for at-risk youth, veterans, displaced workers and formerly incarcerated persons, partners with Interplay Learning to introduce next-generation training for its HVAC, electrical, plumbing and solar online courses.
Austin, TX – October 1, 2020 – Interplay Learning, the leading global provider of online and virtual reality technical training for the essential skilled trades, announced today its partnership with Home Builders Institute (HBI). Following a successful seven-month pilot program earlier this year, Interplay’s online, on-demand skilled trades training catalog brings digital experiential learning to HBI’s nationwide workforce development program starting October 1. HBI Job Corps, under the U.S. Department of Labor contract, currently has 114 active programs at 65 sites nationwide, across a diverse range of trades.
Interplay’s technology is uniquely positioned to engage through the power of active, immersive learning. The online training upgrade for HBI, uses Interplay’s state-of-the-art 3D simulations, SkillMill™, to create hands-on learning experiences and includes courses in HVAC, electrical, plumbing and solar. HBI’s users will not only have a more interactive experience, but immersive learning provides a higher retention rate and engages users to want to come back and learn more.
“Interplay Learning’s unique digital experiential learning platform allows HBI to better achieve its goal of providing the best possible training program for those seeking a career in skilled trades,” said Ed Brady, President and CEO of HBI. “Our pilot program with Interplay was a huge success. As we move forward, we’re confident that we’re delivering the highest quality blended learning solution for our users to prepare them for a successful new lifetime career in the skilled trades.”
“We’re thrilled to support HBI’s initiative with our next-generation training platform that includes our 3D simulations with life-like hands-on learning, which is missing from traditional classroom instruction or other online learning platforms,” said Doug Donovan, CEO of Interplay Learning. “Our mission is to build better training, better careers and better lives for our users. We do this by creating online training programs, which people actually enjoy using and want to engage with. In partnering with HBI, we’re giving people the opportunity to develop the skills they’ll need to be job-ready, and also establish a fulfilling career.”
To deliver better access to the new online skilled trades training courses, the U.S. Department of Labor, which provides direct support to all Job Corps Centers across the U.S., recently purchased thousands of new Chromebooks.
About HBI
HBI is a national nonprofit that provides training, curriculum development and job placement services for the building industry. With overall program job placement rates at over 85 percent for graduates, HBI training programs are taught in local communities across the country to at-risk youth, veterans, transitioning military members, justice-involved youth and adults, and displaced workers. Visit www.hbi.org for more information.
About Interplay Learning
Founded in 2016, Interplay Learning is the leading global provider of online and VR training for the essential skilled trades. The Austin, Texas-based firm develops and delivers scalable, highly effective digital learning simulations for the HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Solar and Facilities Maintenance workforce. Using the digital experiential learning platform, Interplay Learning allows its customers to practice hands-on learning and train to be job-ready in weeks, not years. The company was named to the 2019 Inc. 5000 list, won the AI Breakthrough Award for Best Use of Virtual Reality for Enterprise Applications, and is an AHR Expo – Innovations Awards 2020 Winner. Interplay Learning is building better training, better careers and better lives for its customers and their employees. Welcome to the next generation of the skilled labor workforce. Visit https://www.interplaylearning.com/ to learn more.
Media Contact
Ria Romano
786.290.6413
press@interplaylearning.com
