Innovating Through the Trades Shortage

Innovating Through the Trades Shortage

From Facility Voices by David Trask, National Director, ARC Facilities

March 3, 2026 · 37 min · Season 4 · Episode 8

About this episode

David Trask interviews Robin Cowie about how immersive technology is transforming skilled trades training.

On this episode of Facility Voices, David Trask sits down with Robin Cowie, Chief Executive Officer of Skillmaker, to explore how immersive technology is reshaping the future of skilled trades. Robin’s journey begins in South Africa, where his father, an industrial psychologist, used film to train gold miners who couldn’t read or write—an early lesson in meeting people where they are. That philosophy carried Robin from filmmaking and video games to building hands-on, tech-enabled training sol...

People in this episode

Host: David Trask

Guest: Robin Cowie

Topics covered

  • trades shortage
  • immersive technology
  • skilled trades
  • training
  • filmmaking
  • video games

Keywords

  • trades shortage
  • immersive technology
  • training
  • Skillmaker
  • Robin Cowie
  • David Trask
  • skilled trades

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Skillmaker

Places: South Africa

More episodes of Facility Voices

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Facility Voices podcast page.