Tulsa Welding School Uses Virtual Reality Program To Help Train Students

Tulsa Welding School is expanding its Virtual Reality training program. The school now has VR programs for HVAC, electricians, and welding.

Instructors said the school created OcuWeld as a way for students to continue learning from home.

When technology changes, so does education and trades like welding are no exception.

Tulsa Welding School's 30-week program now incorporates virtual reality allowing students to learn from home mess free.

Lead Instructor Garrett Ellis was a student here more than 10 years ago before VR was even considered an educational tool.

"The students that do use it more, they progress a little bit better. They start to understand, understand things a little better, and then they start to like it more because they realize how much it actually does simulate the real thing," Ellis said.

Ellis said the program is very detailed to make sure the experience is authentic.

"It holds you to travel speed, watch how fast you're moving your electrode when you're welding, how far away you are from the metal you're welding on. When you get in here, you can pick your material up, you can move it around. You can use a grinder on your material and everything like that as well," Ellis said.

Robert Smith will graduate in two weeks. He said he practices from home for an hour or so on the weekends, which helped him improve his grades.

"It really does. It hasn't been much of a problem like going from using that to going to actually welding in the lab," Smith said.

Tulsa Welding School said VR won't fully replace hands on training any time soon, but will offer flexibility in the learning experience.