Lethbridge Polytechnic say they will be utilizing virtual reality for an applied research project to get youth interested in public safety and policing careers.

The Polytechnic has received $563,000 in funding towards the project, including 450,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and $112,500 from Calgary-based augmented reality provider VRCORE.

The program will emphasize problem solving, communications and other mental skills in various VR scenarios to draw interest from young people aged 15 to 24. The Polytechnic says the idea is to change skewed public perceptions of what happens in public safety careers on a day-to-day basis.

The project will have a three-year timeline, where administrators will assess engagement and use the results to connect youth with l

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