Transfr is building classroom-to-career pathways for millions of workers who will be the future of countless industries. AfterSchool All-Stars (ASAS) mission is “to provide comprehensive after-school programs that keep children safe and help them succeed in school and life.” Several ASAS groups have already integrated VR career exploration simulations from Transfr into their programming, letting students experience a day in the life of professionals in well-paying jobs in high-growth industries.
Career exploration is one of After-School AllStars' five core program areas and Transfr’s technology gives students the opportunity to engage with different career paths in a fun, effective way. This partnership will allow thousands of All-Star students to see first-hand what it’s like to work in robotics, hospitality, and emergency services. Students are learning through interactive experiences that wouldn’t be possible without these headsets.
The ASAS locations currently leveraging VR from Transfr in support of the ASAS mission are already seeing inspiring results! Using VR as part of the “Stars at Work” program gives ASAS participants a safe, engaging way to explore new careers and build skills for highdemand jobs. In Chicago, using Transfr’s VR Career Exploration can help schools align with the Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) framework, which is designed to provide students with guided exploration of postsecondary planning and options in a manner that is consistent with the developmental stage of each student.
The experiences students are having at After-School All-Stars will impact their lives forever. This is a model for the whole country.
ASAS’s ambitious program uses VR sims to supplement a curriculum that focuses on soft skills and career readiness. Program leaders at each site give students personalized guidance on which modules to explore based on student internships, job placements, and field trips. Even when students aren’t using the headsets themselves, watching simulations being cast live to classroom TVs allows them to benefit from additional exposure to career exploration experiences. School administrators report positive student reactions to the headsets and are eager to learn more, sharing that they see the VR experience as the future of career readiness education.
VR career exploration broadens horizons for students and empowers staff members to work with more students in more ways. The built-in dashboard helps instructors understand which careers each student is interested in, to help them learn more about their possible career options. The combination of innovative technology and personalized attention is a winner when it comes to helping students build their unique career pathways.
It's been so exciting to hear students and school administrators having such positive reactions to the career exploration headsets. Our curriculum has always emphasized soft skills and career preparedness, and now Transfr has given us a powerful tool to provide students with more information and authentic experiences to help them choose career paths that align with their skills and interests.
