SPOA simulator

23 October 2023

The Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) has invested in plant simulator as part of its ongoing mission to upskill the industry and attract young talent. 

The Tenstar simulator has been supplied with a motion base to replicate the experience of being in the operator’s seat and it has a VR headset for use with a crane package and for doing daily checks on machines.

The unit can also be fitted with a steering wheel to provide training on various machines including wheeled and tracked excavators, graders, articulated dump trucks, dozers, telehandlers, mobile cranes and wheeled loaders. 

The SPOA purchased the simulator following a report commissioned last year and the aim is to provide practical and affordable training.

Tenstar’s Simon Hogg said: “The training simulators enable safe and controlled access to many types of large plant and machinery categories. This allows individuals to experience what it takes to operate such machinery and often reveals hidden skills that can be further developed into potential future careers. 

“The Tenstar simulators also have a use with more experienced operators helping them to explore and learn about the use of attachments such as tilt and rotate buckets and 3D GPS machine control systems.”

The SPOA has teamed up with the Setting Out For Construction training organisation to offer courses from November 2023 through to April 2024, with the first due to take place on 3 November at the association’s office in Stirling. The half day course is eligible for CITB grant funding.

The SPOA has also invested in a trailer to enable members to transport the simulator to local schools and career events to promote job opportunities in plant. The association will also take it to industry exhibitions and events.

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