Launching our ground-breaking virtual simulator – the iDrillSIM – in the midst of a global pandemic was a game-changer for the oil and gas sector and an innovation we knew would revolutionise the way training is delivered.
Now it looks like we’re through the worst of COVID-19, our predictions about iDrillSIM appear to be coming true. In the last six months alone – users have racked up almost 65,000 hours of usage on our Drilling and Well Control cloud-based simulator, iDrillSIM.
Yes – the oil and gas industry has fully embraced blended and hybrid learning and it looks like they are here to stay.
Blended learning integrates technology and digital media with traditional classroom teaching to provide a much more engaging customised learning experience. Whilst hybrid learning uses video conferencing to teach online / distance learners alongside in-person learners.
Even though classroom learning is fully up and running again, we are finding companies actively choosing to use iDrillSIM alongside traditional classroom sessions on the simulator.
iDrillSIM allows simulator training to be done remotely online, meaning students can log on from anywhere in the world and be ready to start learning and refreshing drilling and well control skills. Feedback from our clients shows the learning experience remains high when using an iDrillSIM. That’s because it uses our tried and tested drilling and well control training software, which has been developed and fine-tuned with the industry over several years. Trainees are familiar with the interface and like our simulators, existing training materials can be easily loaded into the system.
For students still unable to travel due to COVID restrictions or for students living in different areas of the world, the flexibility of being able to join a classroom session online from your own home is an attractive option and one that trainers are recognising.
The flexibility and high-quality learning experience provided by iDrillSIM means many of our clients are now providing classroom training and online training as part of their course schedules.
The iDrillSIM is available on license for fixed time periods and for a set number of users. We currently have hundreds of iDrillSIM licenses in use, with some customers using multiple iDrillSIMs so they can run them in different regions across the world, depending on which location is closest to their students.
Coronavirus undoubtedly helped us bring forward the launch of our iDrillSIM but it looks like it will be helping our industry work smarter, safer and more efficiency way beyond the pandemic and into the future.