Nventure Launches Vfactory: Canada’s First VR Recruitment and Retention Tool for Manufacturing
On October 9, 2025, at the Venture13 Innovation & Entrepreneurship Centre in Cobourg, Nventure, in collaboration with the Northumberland Manufacturers Association (NMA), will launch Vfactory, Canada’s first Virtual Reality (VR) recruitment and retention platform for the manufacturing sector. The pilot project, supported by Ontario’s Skills Development Fund (SDF), features immersive simulations designed to better prepare students and new hires for the realities of industrial work.
Vfactory’s simulations are currently under development to recreate key workplace conditions that often contribute to employee turnover, including noise, monotony, and perceptions of safety risks. By providing candidates with a first-hand experience of factory environments before they are hired or onboarded, the project aims to help employers reduce turnover and the excessive costs associated with replacing skilled workers.
Nventure, working with the NMA, will engage local manufacturers, high schools, colleges, and universities to test, refine, and finalize the VR simulations, ensuring the tool meets both workforce development and recruitment needs. Following a public Request for Proposals (RFP) issued by Nventure in April 2025, XpertVR, an Ontario-based business, was awarded the contract to develop the simulations.
“Vfactory represents a new chapter in how we prepare people for meaningful careers in manufacturing,” said Wendy Curtis, CEO of Nventure. “By combining immersive technology with real-world workforce needs, we’re giving students a window into the dynamic world of manufacturing—while helping employers reduce turnover by ensuring new hires understand what it’s really like to work in today’s industrial environment and the career opportunities it offers. This project will strengthen our local manufacturers and support the growth of Ontario’s economy.”
The Honourable David Piccini, Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, will open the event with remarks and an overview of the government’s recent $5 million SDF investment in Northumberland and Peterborough. This investment, part of Ontario’s broader $2.5 billion commitment to the SDF, will help train more than 2,900 youth, jobseekers, and apprentices in high-demand sectors such as construction, manufacturing, aviation, and skilled trades.
“Our government is investing in local training projects that protect Ontario workers by equipping them with the skills they need to build rewarding, well-paying careers,” said Minister Piccini. “Through a $562,000 investment in Nventure Business Development Corporation, we’re supporting recruitment and retention tools for manufacturing and giving participants a hands-on way to explore career paths, boost job readiness, and better prepare for real world demands, while strengthening Ontario’s economy.”
The event will also provide a first look at the Vfactory simulations under development and will feature a presentation by XpertVR, with attendees invited to experience a VR simulation firsthand.
Event Details:
Venture13 Innovation & Entrepreneurship Centre
739 D’Arcy Street, Cobourg, K9A 0H6
October 9, 2025
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Registration is free and open to the public: Launch of Vfactory Tickets, Thu, Oct 9, 2025 at 8:30 AM | Eventbrite
About Nventure
Nventure is an innovation organization based at Venture13, focused on funding, financing, and strategy services for entrepreneurs. Nventure drives economic advancement by investing in industry-led growth in Northumberland, southern Ontario, and across the country. Its initiatives include the Community Futures Program (CFP), thriveFORWARD, DELIA, StrikeUP Canada, and the V13 Policetech Accelerator, a joint initiative with the Cobourg Police Service advancing innovation in policing. These programs are supported by the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario, through FedDev Ontario, ISED Canada, and Ontario’s Rural Economic Development (RED) program.
About XpertVR
XpertVR is an Ontario immersive training company that helps frontline teams in manufacturing, education, and emergency response develop critical skills through virtual reality. By simulating high-stakes environments, XpertVR enables organizations to train faster, safer, and without operational disruption. The company also supports specialized training for first responders through ongoing partnerships with provincial and industry leaders.
About the Northumberland Manufacturers Association
The Northumberland Manufacturers Association (NMA) actively represents manufacturers across Eastern Ontario. The purpose of the NMA is to promote continuous improvement, innovation, high performance and productivity enhancements through collaboration, education, and advocacy. The NMA works to achieve its goals through strategic partnerships with industry associations, government, and stakeholders.
