Personalized training on a driving simulator

Description

The MFR welcomes learners in initial training and adult training in various sectors of activity. Our students in initial training are trained in agriculture, services and mechanics. Our adults are trained in landscaping, logistics and commerce. Our training courses are all alternating with numerous work placements in companies. They are required to use a wide range of equipment such as tractors, forklift trucks, diggers and manuscopiers. Naturally, they have little or no driving experience. Many training or apprenticeship supervisors are reluctant to entrust them with valuable equipment. Aware of this problem, we have invested in a driving simulator equipped with software to simulate the driving of a tractor, a harvester, a forklift, a telescopic handler and a car.
Learners have access codes with a series of exercises that allow for a progressive evolution of skills. The learners’ visits are planned during the day. In the evening, the students have free access during the evening sessions. With this equipment we are able to measure the evolution of skills through evaluations that are quantifiable. Each learner can only do a new exercise if the previous one is completed.

Initially, it was mainly students and trainees at the beginning of the cycle who used the simulator. Gradually, learners in the middle and at the end of the cycle are moving away from this teaching tool because they are able to use the equipment on their training sites. This favours the learning of young people who are in greater difficulty because they can have more time to use it.

This tool allows for safe learning and facilitates the integration of trainees or apprentices into companies. It helps to reduce the risk of accidents and the risk of breach of internship or apprenticeship contract. It improves the commitment of the trainees to the training and finally favours the success in the exam and the professional integration.

Points of interest

• Playful training;
• Individual exercises;
• Permanent access during breaks and evening sessions;
• Ability to assess progress;
• Regular updating of technology through remote connection and active maintenance;
• Facilitates commitment to driving, which can be frightening at first;
• Promotes success in training by removing fears of driving and improving self-confidence while remaining safe;
• Improving the technical skills of users;
• Guarantee a certain level of competence of our learners to the training and apprenticeship supervisors;
• Improves the safety of learners;
• Limits the risk of accidents and damage to equipment;
• The simulator exercises encourage success in the CACES (certificate of competence in the operation of handling equipment);
• Gives a modern image of the training and the establishment;
• Encourages cooperation between learners who are in a co-training situation, those who succeed support the others.

Points of vigilance

• Improve the technical skills of users;
• To guarantee a certain level of competence of our learners to the masters of training courses and apprenticeships;
• Improves the safety of learners;
• Limits the risk of accidents and damage to equipment;
• The simulator exercises encourage success in the CACES (certificate of competence in the operation of handling equipment);
• Gives a modern image of the training and the establishment;
• Encourages cooperation between learners who are in a co-training situation, those who succeed support the others;
• The cost of the equipment is still very high (over 100,000€);
• Only one user at a time;
• Cost of maintenance which is essential to maintain the simulation tool in connection with the constantly evolving equipment;
• Blocks a room that is dedicated to the simulator and protected.

Comments / recommendations

This teaching tool helps our learners to get to grips with the different equipment and improves the safe handling of tools on the job.

It gives a modern image of our establishment and allows learners to be trained on a range of tools and equipment that we could not have on a real equipment park.

Need to secure and video-monitor this equipment as it is expensive.

Make good use of all the capabilities of the tool, particularly the marking of exercises which make it possible to measure the progress of each learner, which requires the training of supervisors and the integration of the use of the simulator into the training plan.