The leading expert in 3D-driven enterprise software as a service Virtualware partners with Invest WindsorEssex (IWE) and NextStar Energy in the innovative Battery Boost: Technical Training for Battery Manufacturing Careers program.
Supported by over $3.8 million in funding from Upskill Canada and powered by Palette Skills with the backing of the Government of Canada, this regional program equips workers with practical and advanced skills essential for the growing battery manufacturing sector.
The Battery Boost program offers innovative technical training to prepare individuals for careers in battery manufacturing, focusing on laid-off workers or those seeking a career change. Using Virtual Reality (VR) and advanced simulators, participants gain practical, hands-on experience for immediate job readiness.
Virtualware plays a pivotal role in this partnership program by bringing its expertise in immersive technology. As a program partner, the company will design and deliver cutting-edge VR training modules in a custom-built VR room tailored for hands-on training, all powered by its award-winning enterprise XR platform, VIROO.
VIROO is the enterprise XR platform that provides multiple ready-to-use applications for users, and tools for developers to create and distribute their own custom multi-user XR, simulation and digital twin applications. The ready-to-run XR platform ensures the highest levels of security and privacy, including ISO 270001 certification, scalability, and performance, integrating all XR needs into a single platform.
Running from February 2025 to March 2026, the program will train over 400 participants at the Invest WindsorEssex Automobility and Innovation Centre, featuring a specialized curriculum developed with NextStar Energy’s proprietary expertise in battery manufacturing
The goal of the program is to provide participants with the necessary skills to be well-prepared for opportunities in the battery manufacturing sector, including roles at NextStar Energy and within the broader Windsor-Essex supply chain.
Since 2023, IWE and Virtualware have collaborated to advance innovation in Canada’s automobility ecosystem, notably integrating VIROO into the VR Cave to enhance XR's potential in research and development.
