The metaverse combines physical and digital worlds and is often defined as an interactive 3D social world with gaming elements, robust presentation capabilities, socializing and marketplaces. It continues to grow in use and importance. In 2022, the global metaverse market size was estimated at $65.5 billion and is expected to surge to $936.6 billion by 2030. Business models and use cases for metaverse spaces are increasingly being built for brands across verticals. The metaverse will also impact the professional trajectory of employees and help to improve their skill sets.

A few years ago, brands feverishly began to build metaverse spaces like pioneers trekking to the gold rush. Many jumped in without the insights or knowledge to create sustainable user experiences in the metaverse. Everyone looked for the next big thing without considering paths to longer-term consumer engagement or meaningful return on investment (ROI).

However, that ROI is becoming apparent. We see more and more employers explore the potential of an enterprise metaverse for continuous skills upgrading, training and team building. When doing so, they discover quickly that metaverse learning fosters direct engagement and teamwork and teaches new hard skills. They are finding that members of global remote-first teams could meet more frequently, resulting in staff bonding toward a more unified global company culture.

One impressive use case was a metaverse-based sales training for automotive industry executives using digital twins of new car models tested on virtual tracks in changing weather conditions. Another use case involved the live streaming of robot operations from remote factories into a metaverse observation station where employees are trained to troubleshoot problems in real-time. In both scenarios, brands used consumer-facing front-end metaverses with enterprise extensions designed as “sub-metaverses” gated and accessible only to company employees.

The metaverse will upend the learning and professional development landscape by offering immersive education experiences with cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain.

Using Web3 for Skills Development and Credentialing

Metaverse environments often incorporate Web3 technology, the next evolution of the internet built using decentralized blockchains to store information.

Since Web3 is blockchain-based, records of a professional’s credentials, the criteria for earning those credentials, and Proof of Attendance Protocols (POAP)s – non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that confirm attendance at an event — can live on-chain. For those individuals looking to level-up their development, Web3 can help by showcasing and verifying credentials and skills. And a recruiter can see and instantly verify a candidate’s exact skills using this technology.

Coming soon, AI-enhanced classrooms will be common in the metaverse, where employees can engage in even more interactive and collaborative learning experiences, enhancing their skill sets through real-time feedback and immersive content integrations. AI classrooms learn how people learn, provide real-time multilingual translation services and augment instruction through ever-evolving AI learning assistants.

The integration of AI will also enable real-time analytics and feedback, helping learners continuously monitor their progress and adjust their learning strategies, fostering a more proactive and self-directed learning approach. High tech? Maybe. But the key is low-tech access. Some in the Web3 ecosystem are pioneering browser-based, fully mobile metaverse education, meaning high-powered, expensive gear will not be needed.

On the cusp of this transformative era, it is imperative to leverage the potential of the metaverse to foster an ecosystem that is both inclusive and futuristic, preparing learners for the challenges and opportunities of the digital future.

In much of the developing world, the metaverse, combined with a Web3 learning platform, can have an outsized impact. For Web3 learners in places like Nigeria, Ghana, Brazil and India, among other mobile-first locales with an enthusiastic Web3 following, getting a deep understanding of areas of specialization through online courses offers a tremendous opportunity to upskill to remote, stable tech industry jobs.

Web3 and the metaverse can catalyze positive change, helping to provide top-quality, low-cost upskilling opportunities for employees and ensuring organizations are positioned for success in the future.