BHP's FutureFit Academy is training the next generation of skilled tradespeople, offering hands-on experience and technical education for those looking to start a career in mining.  

In designing the FutureFit Academy program, we sought to incorporate the latest learning technologies into the curriculum to support knowledge uptake and understanding of complex mechanical systems. This led to the development of the FFAVirtual learning program, which leverages extended reality (XR) – a suite of immersive technologies including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality that blend physical and digital environments to create engaging, hands-on learning experiences.  

The FFAVirtual program won a Silver award at the 2024 Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Awards in the Best Use of Augmented Reality and Metaverse category. The Excellence Awards celebrate innovative initiatives and acknowledge organisations for their excellence in HR (human resources) practices, and the category recognises workplace learning program excellence in leveraging AR and other metaverse technologies to create impactful and immersive experiences.  

FFAVirtual differs from the traditional approach to training as it creates a virtual learning environment accessible to trainees and apprentices regardless of their physical location and knowledge levels. Through the platform, immersive AR is blended with 3D virtual environments and social spaces to create a life-like ‘digital twin’ of a physical BHP FutureFit Academy training centre. This includes virtual workshops and classrooms, computer labs and immersive cinema.  

Through immersive and practical VR and AR, FFAVirtual seeks to: 

• reduce learning challenges due to distance and travel, building a virtual community of learners across a range of backgrounds and physical locations  
• enable faster, more collaborative and more effective knowledge transfer 
• build a more diverse and engaged workforce to better address the global shortage of skills affecting many trade and production areas 
• enhance safety culture and practices (read more about how BHP is exploring the use of XR to enhance safety culture and practices here) 
• better meet the unique learning needs of a diverse cohort of trainees and apprentices 
• improve knowledge retention by providing more engaging learning environments and techniques 
• support existing hands-on in-situ FutureFit Academy training 

To date, we have crafted FFAVirtual environments that mirror our physical FutureFit Academy sites in Mackay, Queensland and BHP Mitsubishi Alliance’s (BMA) Caval Ridge Mine workshop, also located in Queensland.

Example of FFAVirtual of electrical flow holotruck