Embedding soft skills & employability training with VR & AI at Buckinghamshire College Group

About

Buckinghamshire College Group (BCG) serves a community of over 7,000 students across three campuses. Their mission is to transform lives through learning, helping students achieve their full potential. 

BCG have been working with Bodyswaps since 2023, deploying our immersive, AI-powered content across their programmes, including Business, Dental, Health and Social Care, and more.

• Build student confidence in communication & interpersonal skills
• Bridge the gap between academic learning and real world employability skills
• Make learning more engaging with immersive technology, providing a psychologically safe space for students to practice and make mistakes without anxiety

Deployment

Accessibility is key

While the team predominantly use Meta Quest headsets for deployment, they also have a bank of iPads for those who prefer not to or can’t use virtual reality devices. Some students are also encouraged to use their own devices.

Learning spaces

Most Bodyswaps sessions happen in the college’s Innovation Space: a modern, specialised room tailored to digital learning
sessions. This allows for plenty of space between learners and the ability to mirror the headsets on screens. Students really enjoy this specially designed environment.

Positive Steps initiative

In one use case, Buckinghamshire College group worked in tandem with the NHS and Positive Steps to support job-seekers of various ages transition into careers in health and social care. Each participant has the opportunity of an interview upon completion of the programme. 

As part of this six-week employability programme, Alan and his team tailored a bespoke Bodyswaps learner pathway, focusing on building confidence and communication in a safe, supportive environment. 

Results

• 95% of students would recommend Bodyswaps to their peers 
• 100% of students identified areas to improve on their skills
• 100% of students increased their understanding of the topics discussed within the module

*A survey group of 21 students who took this module across September 2024 - June 2025.

Advice

• Train your students and tutors to handle the setup of headsets and Bodyswaps so that sessions can run smoothly and
  without tech support.
• Start small and choose a confident class for your initial deployments. Encourage these confident students to experiment.
• Empower your tutors to take ownership of Bodyswaps Go: make sure they know how to manage classes, content, and other features.

Future plans

Thanks to improved Wi-Fi networks and the development of new innovation spaces, the team plans to expand Bodyswaps across all three campuses.

They also plan to increase their use of AI roleplays, experimenting with how they can apply them across programmes like Dental, Business, and more