VR firm teams up with charity
VIRTUAL reality specialist Animmersion UK is working with Newcastle United Foundation to transform the world of work experience for thousands of young people.
The Middlesbrough business has created immersive real-life content with VR experiences for the charity, enable young people to explore a range of career paths.
The foundation, which is by supported by Newcastle United FC, aims to connect, motivate, and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to develop the skills and confidence they need to build a career.
Animmersion used its in-house VRvideo platform and specialist VR video cameras to film ‘a day-in-the-life’ experiences with a range of the foundation’s partners, including LNER, Sage and the football club.
The 360-degree virtual reality content features a variety of staff explaining their roles and experiences in the workplace, as well as information, career guidance and typical salary expectations for many of the roles.
The VR work experience platform also allows users to explore locations normally out of bounds, including the dressing rooms, training facilities, centre circle and the top of the stadium roof at St James’ Park, and insights into LNER’s Azuma train simulators and Sage’s 16th floor offices in the London Shard.
The Foundation’s NU Futures programme provides support for young adults through mentoring, personal development, digital STEM learning, and regular interactions with local employers.
The programme is delivered at the Foundation’s Nucastle base, alongside a community outreach programme targeting thousands of schoolchildren and young people across the North of Tyne.
Andrew Liddell, chief design officer at Animmersion UK, said: “Our VR technology brings the workplace to life in a way that is both cost-effective and incredibly engaging. It’s a transformative experience that delivers users into the heart of normally inaccessible work environments – allowing them to explore, learn, and be inspired.
“Our immersive VR videos are not simulations but gateways into the real world of work. This is an affordable, highly versatile and adaptable technology that is not only changing how people learn but how they see their professional futures by revealing previously unimagined career paths.”
Dawn Barber, head of business at Newcastle United Foundation, said: “Working together with Animmersion UK to utilise our VR experiences we are able to transport young people in the North East virtually into a variety of workplaces, highlighting the many career opportunities available. VR is helping us break down traditional boundaries, enabling young people to explore and envision futures they may never have considered.
“It’s about expanding horizons and inspiring dreams, one virtual journey at a time.”