On Nov. 29, Fanshawe College announced the creation of a new Centre of Excellence in Immersive Technology Simulations for Workplace Safety on the third floor of Innovation Village. The new facility, supported by $20 million in funding from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), will aim to improve training, mental health support, and recruitment within high-risk industries.

The 9,000-square-foot space will feature new technology, including motion capture animation, artificial intelligence, and extended reality (XR) tools, to simulate real-world scenarios for first responders.

'Leaders from police, fire, paramedics, and corrections have been talking to us about the challenges they face in recruitment, training, and mental health,' Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Business at Fanshawe College, Jeff Wright, said. 'New recruits often leave the profession sooner than expected because the work is vastly different from what they anticipated.'

Wright added that many first responders experience mental health challenges that compound these difficulties.

The centre's training program will offer high-risk simulations through XR headsets, allowing first responders to experience and rehearse dangerous situations in a controlled environment.

'Using this technology, first responders can repeat these scenarios as many times as needed to build competence and confidence,' Wright explained.

The centre will also address the mental health challenges first responders face. According to the CEO of WSIB, Jeff Lang, over 12,000 mental stress injury claims have been filed by first responders since 2016, and the road to recovery for these workers is long.

'While 87 per cent of those with physical injuries return to work within three months, only 40 per cent of first responders with mental stress injuries can return after a year,' Lang said.

The new centre will feature cognitive-behavioural avatar-led interventions to address these issues, offering mental health assistance via technology. These interventions are designed to lessen stigma, facilitate recovery, and enhance long-term outcomes for injured workers. The facility will also collaborate with conventional clinical services, equipping first responders with strategies to maintain their mental health in conjunction with physical training.

Wright emphasized that the centre's impact will extend beyond Fanshawe College and London.

'The technology developed here will be generalizable across North America,' Wright said. 'We also feel that, in time, the centre can be scaled to high-risk training and mental health support for a range of other critical WSIB client sectors, including manufacturing, construction, and transportation.”

The centre will open in April 2026, with construction expected to begin in early 2025. Fanshawe President, Peter Devlin, spoke about the significance of this new initiative for the college and its surrounding community.

'By harnessing cutting-edge technologies, we will revolutionize how we educate, train and support those who dedicate their lives to public safety,' Devlin said.

The centre will provide a range of other programs, including advanced simulations for emergency management, crisis management training, and strategies for coping with stress and trauma.

'We are lessening the impact of mental stress on our first responders, the people they know, and ultimately, the community they serve, bringing research findings and new approaches with our industry partners who are also dealing with the same issues of mental stress injuries in their workplaces. I cannot think of a better investment or choose better partners to invest at Fanshawe College,' Lang said.