VR Goggles meet SARETEC: How virtual reality can transform Renewable Energy Training

The landscape of education in South Africa is undergoing a significant transformation, with digital teaching methodologies rapidly gaining preference over traditional classroom approaches. VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) offer immersive experiences for TVET teachers and learners, fostering interactivity, engagement, and experiential learning. VR, once associated primarily with gaming and movies, has now evolved into a powerful tool in the education sector. VR and AR are being leveraged to provide a tangible, real-world understanding of subject matter. The South African-German Energy Programme (SAGEN), was approached by the South African Renewable Energy Training Centre (SARETEC), to support and develop skills and knowledge in the spectrum of Mixed Reality (XR) with its technologies (VR/AR). SARETEC, South Africa's premier national centre for renewable energy technology, is committed to delivering specialized, industry-aligned, and accredited training across the renewable energy sector.

In response to demand and as part of SAGEN's capacity building and technology innovation initiatives, SAGEN sponsored an 8-day training session at SARETEC focusing on VR/AR and XR technologies. Conducted by GIZ's TVET academy in Germany, the training aims to sensitize participants and introduce immersive learning in a hands-on, practical manner. It covers a spectrum of XR technologies including VR/AR, 360-degree video, and 3D, providing participants with firsthand experience and understanding.

The training at SARETEC enabled participants to:

  • explore the application of VR/AR in TVET
  • adapt to new roles and competencies in digital environments
  • understand framework conditions, technical requirements, and equipment for VR environments
  • delve into implications for teaching and training, shaping the future of education
  • engage with VR/AR learning processes and technical specifications
  • gain practical insights into setting up and designing VR/AR environments.

As a component of the training sponsorship, SAGEN has sponsored 2 Oculus Quest VR goggles to SARETEC. These VR goggles are designed to enhance the learning experiences of students in various ways. Specifically, they can be utilised in technical and vocational courses to simulate realistic work environments, enabling students to practice hands-on skills within a virtual setting. Furthermore, the VR goggles enable SARETEC to provide remote training opportunities.

Zanele Hakamela, Advisor for Technology Innovation, facilitated the handover of the VR goggles to Mokgadi Modise, Director of SARETEC. Ms Modise expressed gratitude for the goggles, emphasizing that this will significantly contribute to the centre's continuous efforts to align with the ever-evolving technological landscape in vocational education.

Abongile Mlangeni, who participated in the training and is an intern at the UWC innovation hub noted that the “The VR goggles provided me with a feature that enables me to view the content using different applications, while also being able to interact with some of the content in a virtual setting.”

Brent Van Rooyen mentioned that VR training offers a realistic environment for students to complex equipment in a virtual setting, offering adaptability and accessibility for everyone.

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This initiative was supported by the South African-German Energy Programme (SAGEN) in collaboration with SARETEC. SAGEN collaborates with South African partners to support the country’s transition to a reliable, affordable and clean energy future. SAGEN is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), co-funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in cooperation with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), the National Treasury (NT), Eskom, the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI).

#Innovation #RenewableEnergy #Training #EnergyTransition #SmartTechnology #VirtualReality #Digitalization #SouthAfrica

Authors: Zanele Hakamela, zanele.hakamela@giz.de & Elaine Cheung, elaine.cheung@giz.de

Photo: ©GIZ/Greg Lumley