KLM
KLM redefines its cargo training experience
Blazing a trail in training
innovation
In the Netherlands, there is a
shortage of low-skilled staff—meaning that workers can find a job anywhere. At KLM, they
usually have a new group of cargo staff starting every week that needs to be trained.
The training consists of one day of Microsoft PowerPoint-presentations plus a three-day
practical training, but the motivation of the trainees was low and so was their ability
to retain critical information. Moreover, existing staff did not pay enough attention to
managing the complete cargo process, and the new staff struggled with a lack of
visibility of the supply chain. These challenges made it clear for KLM that they had to
radically innovate their basic training for new cargo operatives.
Introducing visual learning
Together with Accenture, KLM Cargo
began its journey into mixed reality following an experimental collaboration with KLM’s
technical division, Engineering & Maintenance (E&M). After partnering with the
Dutch Aerospace Centres which was one of the first organizations to have the HoloLens
headset in the Netherlands, KLM decided to explore how this technology could improve
technical training. Leveraging the insights gained during the E&M experiment, they
built a simulation of the whole cargo packing process so that, through HoloLens, the
trainees could see themselves how building pallets contributes to the process. Moreover,
if you make a mistake, you can try again, without any consequences. A recurring mistake
in pallet packing is that cargo workers don’t leave enough space free for locks to be
attached, so the pallets can’t be secured on the plane. Using HoloLens surprised many
trainees because until the training module rejected their pallet, they believed they had
done a good job and that it was ready for loading.
An impactful new
learning experience
After introducing
HoloLens to basic cargo training, KLM has observed considerable
improvements that further validated their decision of innovating. Their
workers feel much more confident and assured in what they do; they now
know and understand why it is so crucial to pack pallets the right way.
Trainees reported that they highly value ‘learning by doing’ in such a
safe environment where there is room for mistakes, and where floor
managers can witness noticeable advancements in applying knowledge from
training to the job.
The shared learning
experience generated by using HoloLens has a far larger impact than
conventional training. The role of the trainers has been redefined, and
they are now facilitators of learning rather than instructors statically
transferring knowledge. Research shows that with lecture-based training,
after 20 minutes of listening, people lose attention, but with HoloLens
trainees worked on an assignment for 45 minutes without loss of focus.
KLM tested the impact of the new training by dividing an experimental
group, which was trained with HoloLens, and a control group trained
conventionally with the use of slides. Results indicate that the
HoloLens group could remember every part while those trained
conventionally could not.
Montero, a cargo
worker, says: “It’s much better because you’re not just learning, you
get to work straight away. You do the real work but using the headset in
a normal space instead of on the work-floor where mistakes matter. So,
you already have a bit of practical experience when you start the job.”
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