Technology educator Credersi have teamed up with Covid testing solutions company DAM Health to create a virtual reality Covid-19 lab training syllabus.
Credersi have collaborated with DAM Health to create a virtual reality Covid 19-lab training school. The move is aimed at increasing the number of lab technicians being trained in the UK to meet a mass skills shortage and crisis.
Research carried out by the Gatsby Foundation prior to COVID-19 indicated that, by 2030, the UK will require a further 700,000 Lab Technicians to support the UK economy.
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Credersi believes that given the magnitude of the pandemic that the figure will have potentially doubled. The company believes that by increasing the number of trained lab technicians this will help in the long run to reduce the unit cost of Covid testing over time.
The collaboration will see Liverpool-based DAM Health supporting Manchester headquartered Credersi to bring technology into the lab by funding the construction of a virtual and augmented reality platform in which to train the lab technicians of the future.
The first course will be taught as an 8-week immersive programme. It will incorporate components of science, data science, data and analytical programming to train students to extrapolate results from their work. The course can be accessed from wherever the student is studying and located in the world.
Credersi’s will not only focus on ‘hard’ technical skills, but also on the behavioural aspects, mentoring ‘soft’ life and ‘communication’ skills to prepare them for a workplace environment.
One example of the innovation being incorporated into the new course includes utilising a physical PCR machine, which will then be used to model and render into a 3D virtual lab. This will allow the lab technicians and students to see an animated sequence of how to conduct a PCR test and use this as part of a wider training syllabus to educate the students with an immersive and interactive training module.
The 3D virtual lab will also be taken into schools and colleges as part of a wider programme to educate and inspire kids into STEM subjects using technology they relate to. It will show young people what a career in science looks and feels like, in the hopes of inspiring them to become the next generation of scientists and lab technicians.
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Andy Lord, CEO and co-founder of Credersi, said: “The addition of the 3D modelling to develop a course that has elements uniquely focusing on Covid-19 and PCR is a real game changer.”
He also added: “There is a huge shortage of skilled lab technicians at the moment, and we aim to address that imbalance by injecting a new army of talented and trained lab technicians. Covid-19 testing will be with us for the foreseeable future. By understanding and learning about PCR testing and how this works will enable the lab technicians of the future to be better equipped to deal with future pandemics”.
Darren Coomer is an industry tech leader, innovator and co-founder at Credersi. Commenting on the virtual reality Covid-19 training school he said: “The high cost of PCR testing is often driven by a lack of skilled resources, so we hope our collaboration with DAM Health will help support the UK economy and travel industry by reducing the unit cost of testing over time.”
The first course under the new collaboration will be delivered in October of this year.
Source: Written from press release.
