VR Career Training Transforms Juvenile Education

Students at the Bridgeport Juvenile Residential Center in Connecticut are using virtual reality to explore career paths and gain vocational training. A partnership between Bridgeport Public Schools and the Connecticut Department of Children and Families enables detained youth to use Transfr VR goggles during project-based learning periods, offering hands-on experience in more than 40 fields.

The goal is to help students identify career interests and build skills they can take back to community schools or directly into the workforce. Administrators hope this will lower recidivism by fostering future-focused mindsets.

Students can virtually practice tasks like assisting in surgery, operating construction equipment, or caring for animals. The immersive training has been linked to higher engagement and better performance than traditional vocational classrooms. Future plans include linking students with employers after release, offering tangible second chances through real-world opportunity.