News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Overton County residents will have an opportunity to test out career training simulations using new virtual reality equipment coming to the Millard Oakley Library.
Library Director Judith Cutright said the library received a grant from MTSU and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. She said library staff will attend an all-day training session in Murfreesboro on March 11 before returning with the equipment. Cutright said the equipment expected to showcase a variety of career fields.
“With the multitude of jobs that are out there, sometimes it’s difficult to know if a job will suit you until you’re actually in the job itself,” Cutright said.
Cutright said the library was one of only six in the state to receive the grant. She said the equipment will be free to use and the library will schedule a time for the community to test out the training equipment upon its arrival.
“For example, being a truck driver,” Cutright said. “That does require a lot of skill, and someone may be very good at it, someone may not be. But, you don’t want to go out there in an 18-wheeler and try the job and wind up hurting yourself or others with it. So, if you use this equipment first, you can get a more hands-on without actually being endangered.”
She said the headsets come from a virtual reality company called Transfr. The company aims to create classroom-to-career pathways with hands-on training that people can do anytime, anywhere. Cutright said she will find out at the March 11 training session what different career fields are offered with the equipment.
