"Immersive Job Taste: a Concept of Demonstrating Workplaces with Virtual Reality" has been presented at 2019 IEEE VR Fourth Workshop on K-12+ Embodied Learning through Virtual & Augmented Reality (KELVAR) on March 23, 2019. https://sites.google.com/site/vrkelvar/ ABSTRACT This paper presents a new concept of ‘Immersive Job Taste’ – interactive virtual reality demonstration of a workplace that aims to give a feeling of going through an average workday of a professional with elements of basic training. The main target audiences of Job Taste simulations are young job seekers who can be aided in selecting a career path at school or a welfare center, choosing the first or a new occupation, often after a period of being unemployed. The design methodology behind the Immersive Job Taste concept includes presentation of a workplace, typical tasks, feedback on performance, and advice on applying for jobs in the specific industry. We developed several scenarios and applied different virtual and augmented reality concepts to build prototypes for different types of devices. The prototypes were evaluated by several groups of primary users and experts. The results indicate a generally very positive attitude towards the concept. In this paper, we discuss the potential impact of applying the concept and directions for future work.

1. Immersive Job Taste
a Concept of Demonstrating Workplaces with
Virtual Reality
Mikhail Fominykh and Ekaterina Prasolova-Førland
IMTEL, Department of Education and Lifelong learning, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Fourth Workshop on K-12+ Embodied Learning through Virtual & Augmented Reality (KELVAR)
Osaka, Japan | March 23-27, 2019
http://ieeevr.org/2019/

2. Immersive Job Taste
Traditional career
guidance
Trainee programs
and internships

3. Traditional career
guidance
Trainee programs
and internships
Rely on text-
based
information
time-consuming,
logistically
difficult
Immersive Job Taste

4. Traditional career
guidance
Trainee programs
and internships
Rely on text-
based
information
time-consuming,
logistically
difficult
Transfer of skillsConsume information
Immersive Job Taste

5. Traditional career
guidance
Trainee programs
and internships
Rely on text-
based
information
time-consuming,
logistically
difficult
Transfer of skillsConsume information
Immersive Job Taste
concept
VR

6. VR
Immersive Job Taste
concept
convey
experiences
directly
capture
experiences in
the workplace
a ‘peek’ into a
profession not
covering all the
details

7. VR
Immersive Job Taste
methodology
convey
experiences
directly
a ‘peek’ into a
profession not
covering all the
details
How to
How to
How toHow to
capture
experiences in
the workplace
a ‘peek’ into a
profession not
covering all the
details

8. Immersive Job Taste
methodology
-> 3D
How to
capture
experiences in
the workplace

9. Task # Activity # Skill 1 Skill 2 … Skill X Points
Task 1 Activity 1
Activity 2
…
Activity X
Task 2
…
Task X
Feedback
message
from job announcements
a ‘peek’ into a
profession not
covering all the
details

10. Task # Activity # Skill 1 Skill 2 … Skill X Points
Task 1 Activity 1
Activity 2
…
Activity X
Task 2
…
Task X
Feedback
message
from interviews with employers
a ‘peek’ into a
profession not
covering all the
details

11. Task # Activity # Skill 1 Skill 2 … Skill X Points
Task 1 Activity 1
Activity 2
…
Activity X
Task 2
…
Task X
Feedback
message
from employers and career counselors
a ‘peek’ into a
profession not
covering all the
details

12. Task # Activity # Skill 1 Skill 2 … Skill X Points
Task 1 Activity 1
Activity 2
…
Activity X
Task 2
…
Task X
Feedback
message
from interviews with employers
a ‘peek’ into a
profession not
covering all the
details

13. ‘Virtual internship’ project summary
Goal
Simulation of workplaces in VR/AR/MR with gaming elements for a
motivating and engaging career guidance
Target audience
Young unemployed (up to 25 years), high-school students
Sense of mastery
Allowing the user to explore and train in unfamiliar situations, in a safe
setting, thus mastering the corresponding real-world situations
Methodology
Mapping the needs => prototypes => evaluation => design methodology
Funding
Project financed by the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration

15. Video of the app not included here

16. Both job seekers and counselors are very positive to the
concept.
The majority agreed or strongly agreed that such apps:
1. should be available for job seekers
2. could give a better confidence in performing work tasks
and a better understanding of different professions
Evaluation results

17. ‘High-level’ VR version
was the absolute
favorite
Evaluation results
Divided views on AR/Hololens
‘Low-level’ Cardboard versions
less user friendly, but useful in
certain contexts and more
accessible (at home)

18. Realism
• Representative of the industry found the simulation realistic
and giving a good representation of typical working tasks
Sense of mastery
• Sense of mastery connected to choosing the right profession
Capturing
• Divided views on 360 video/graphics
Gaming vs Instruction
• Divided views on gaming elements
Evaluation results

19. Job seekers
Such apps
should:
Q2: be used
for career
guidance at
schools
Q1: be
available at
welfare
centers.

20. Welfare Professionals
Such apps
should:
Q2: be used
for career
guidance at
schools
Q1: be
available at
welfare
centers.

21. FisheryVR

22. FisheryVR

23. FiskeVR

26. Video of the app not included here

27. Video of the app not included here

28. Future work
Validating the Job Taste concept outside
the lab, evaluating long-term effect

29. Future work
Validating the Job Taste concept outside
the lab, evaluating long-term effect
Implementing additional professions and
workplaces

30. Future work
Validating the Job Taste concept outside
the lab, evaluating long-term effect
Further developing the Job Taste
methodology
Implementing additional professions and
workplaces

32. Thank you
for your attention!
Mikhail Fominykh
mikhail.fominykh@ntnu.no
Ekaterina Prasolova-Førland
ekaterip@ntnu.no
IMTEL Lab
Facebook: /IMTELlab
Twitter: @IMTELlab