In 2018 unfilled construction worker jobs rose to 404,000[1]. This was an all-time high, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The government has no restrictions for operating an excavator; however, it is impossible to get a job without any operation and competency documentation. For this documentation, an employer could be looking at about $1000 for the most highly recognized training, which must be reinstated every five years. Excavation operation is a highly sought-after profession, and jobs are expected to rise by over 10% until 2028. The NSF EPSCoR research project is creating a Virtual Reality environment that will allow both residential and commercial jobs to train and teach employees how to operate excavators safely and competently. The Virtual Reality scenario will also allow employers to reduce the cost of operation and competency training. As a result, several workplace scenarios have been developed that can fully amerce an excavator operator into their training and safety.https://scholarworks.moreheadstate.edu/celebration_posters_2021/1011/thumbnail.jp
