Building job-ready confidence with AI soft skills training at Western Wyoming Community College

About

Western Wyoming Community College is a public, tax-supported institution offering a range of two- and four-year degrees and 1- or 2-semester occupational certificates across a number of programs. 

The college is committed to preparing students with the communication skills they need to succeed in the workplace. Faculty across Business, Information Systems, Communications, the Library, History, and the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) have collaborated to embed immersive learning experiences into their courses, using Bodyswaps to help students build confidence in communication, interviewing, and active listening.

• Empower students to become more comfortable engaging with their peers.
• Help students build job-ready soft skills in a safe and supportive environment.
• Give students a realistic but low-pressure setting in which to practice interviewing.

Deployment

In-person VR sessions

Kristy Kauppi, Instructor of Business, made VR a regular part of her Business Communications course. For around six sessions in the semester, students used headsets in class to complete modules aligned with that week’s learning objectives. The VR sessions supplemented classroom teaching and were followed by additional practice outside class.

Online & mobile access

Kayla Hawley, Assistant Professor of Business and Information Systems, embedded Bodyswaps into her online bachelor’s courses. Students accessed content via web or mobile.

Supporting faculty adoption

Initial rollout was driven by hands-on support from Brittany Moore (CTL) and Sarah Smith (Library). Faculty were invited to try the technology themselves before introducing it to students. 

To expand adoption, a member of the Center for Teaching and Learning team reviewed Bodyswaps content and reached out to individual professors whose courses were a strong fit. CTL and the Library provided hands-on support by bringing the VR cart to classrooms and helping students set up headsets, making the process simple for faculty.

Impact

• Students became noticeably more confident in speaking, with classroom participation increasing over time and more natural peer-to-peer conversation emerging.
• Students realised gaps in their listening skills, frequently chose to retry simulations, and demonstrated stronger listening behaviours.
• Students often recognised the true value of the experience later, connecting their immersive practice to real professional situations and acknowledging its usefulness.

• Have students sign up before class to avoid losing teaching time and, on the day, ensure students are logged in so progress is tracked.
• Create classes in advance and pre-assign students to help in-person sessions run smoothly.
• Don’t be afraid to use the mobile or PC downloads for smoother, more scalable Bodyswaps access.

Future plans

Western Wyoming Community College plans to deepen and expand its use of Bodyswaps: 

Kristy Kauppi sees it as a permanent feature of her teaching: “I think it's such a resource for the courses that I'm currently teaching… it's just a cherry on top for my coursework.” 

Kayla Hawley plans to introduce more challenging scenarios through our AI roleplays: “How are you going to calm them down and go from there? Because that's a real skill that students need to have.”

And Sarah Smith, Reference and Instruction Librarian, aims to continue expanding access across faculty.