VR framework as a non-literacy alternative to increase work readiness awareness for job seekers**

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

A lack of skilled workers has created a labour shortage of around 361,700 jobs across the country, with 150,000 of those jobs openings in Ontario and a 2.4% concentration on the natural resources sector according to the 2017 Q3 quarterly report by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. There is a critical disconnect between industry demand for skilled workers and the number of trained workers entering the workforce due to a lack of readiness resulting in failure to attract an increase the rate of entrance into skills trades associated with the natural resources sector. ORIGIN is an Indigenous owned Canadian company that focuses on enhancing workforce readiness, build capacity and create employment pathways for the long-term. Origin's goal is to strengthen Indigenous communities and increase access to skilled workers in a safe and culturally secure manner. A major barrier to filling entry-level positions is matching the job seeker's career path with their expectations for the job. Currently, ORIGIN has developed two 360-degree videos that immerse job seekers in an experiential guided tour that virtually transports users into the worksite to provide them with relevant information about the job, safety issues and career expectations. However, 360 videos limit the experience to what was recorded and the scene being shown, where the user sits and watch only controlling the camera movement without any interactions. This project will develop a VR framework that allows adding customisable interactivity and exploration features to increase immersion, presence and engagement to 360-degree videos focusing on relevant information associated with work-readiness. Results from this study will be used to inform ORIGIN about job seeker's perception of the VR tool that can determine content improvements to match job expectations and career paths. Furthermore, the study will provide grounds to explore other applications within ORIGIN'S services to attract job seekers to similar industries across Canada suffering from a lack of skilled workers.