First-Ever V3CONNECT™ VR Career Lab To Launch In Crawfordsville

The City of Crawfordsville and Indianapolis-based immersive experience company VisionThree are pleased to announce the launch of V3CONNECT™ at Fusion 54. The lab will be the first of its kind in the U.S., paving the way for other communities seeking solutions to connect the next generation of the workforce with jobs and degree programs in their hometowns and beyond through the power of the metaverse.

The lab will consist of 24 customized VR kiosks, complete with a VR headset, charging station, and touchscreen tablet. Branded fabric backdrops and an interactive touch screen will transform an area within Fusion 54 into a virtual world of career opportunities.

As a part of the launch, the City of Crawfordsville will also share its “V3 Main Street™” story, in which the V3 team will build a virtual city tour, showcasing the programs, benefits, and opportunities available in Crawfordsville.

Joining the City in building out the virtual talent pipeline ecosystem will be a range of local industry and business content partners, whose day-in-the-life stories will reach not only lab users in Crawfordsville, but in every lab site launched across the state and beyond.

Crawfordsville Mayor Todd Barton says, “This is a groundbreaking moment, not just for Crawfordsville as a city, but for the state of Indiana as a whole. We are proud to be leading the way in solving challenges for both talent pipeline development and the brain drain.”

Also aligning to bring degree program stories to V3CONNECT™ are partners at Ivy Tech Lafayette, featuring day-in-the-life experiences of students and alumni in key degree programs. For all content partners, V3CONNECT™ offers the ability to share immersive experiences at tradeshows, recruiting fairs, and beyond, expanding the reach of these opportunities to meet students where they are.

“We very much appreciate our partnership with Mayor Barton and the city of Crawfordsville,” says the Ivy Tech Lafayette Chancellor, Dr. Aaron Baute. “Virtual reality is an awesome and interactive technology that can help support workforce development and industry attraction.  Initiatives like this one are why Ivy Tech has expanded its offerings in the community bringing Early Childhood, Cybersecurity, and Certified Nursing Assistant to Montgomery County. We look forward to adding additional programs in partnership with the community.”

Students from area high schools, colleges, and anyone else in the community interested in experiencing the technology, will have ample opportunities through scheduled visits and community events.

“It is exciting to have access to technology that links a student’s interests to employment in Montgomery County! The V3CONNECT™ virtual reality platform will certainly appeal to the students,” shares  Dr. Colleen Moran, Superintendent – North Montgomery School Corporation.

The Fusion 54 lab site will launch in late January 2023, with associated content partner experiences being built in parallel. These experiences will be available not only in Crawfordsville, but in every lab site launched anywhere in the state of Indiana and beyond.             

“As the V3CONNECT™ program continues to gain momentum and visibility, Crawfordsville will be seen nationwide not just talking the talk, but walking the walk,” says VisionThree CEO Heather Jackson. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Mayor and his team to officially launch the program.”

For more information on VisionThree and to learn about how your community, company, or institution can get involved with V3CONNECT™, please contact Dawn Lang, VP of Strategic Partnerships, at [email protected].