A new Future Skills Organisation case study highlights the potential of AI-supported role play to help VET students build confidence before undertaking live role-play assessments or entering the workplace. The pilot was conducted through FSO’s Skills Accelerator–AI initiative, bringing together Canberra Institute of Technology, Phoenix Academy and GenLearn during an Action Learning Sprint from March to May 2026. The focus of the case study was purely practical – that is, it sought to determine whether AI could give early-stage students more opportunities to practise challenging workplace conversations in a realistic, repeatable and lower-pressure environment.
The problem the pilot sought to address will be familiar to many VET educators. In fields such as community services, healthcare, human resources, management and frontline support, students need to demonstrate judgement, empathy and clear communication in complex interpersonal situations. Yet providers often have limited time, budget and capacity to give students enough structured practice before assessment. Traditional classroom role plays are valuable, but they can be stressful, particularly for students who are new to a field or developing confidence in English. The pilot therefore explored whether AI role-play tools could create a safe space for students to practise realistic scenarios aligned with unit requirements.
At Phoenix Academy, educators used GenLearn to build AI chatbots for Diploma of Business students undertaking the ‘BSBXCM501 Lead communication in the workplace’ unit. Ten international students used the tool to practise recognising tone, assessing situations and responding appropriately in scenarios such as communicating sensitive information, engaging with people who may be distressed or resistant to change, and tailoring complex information for diverse audiences. At CIT, more than 30 Community Services students used AI-generated client scenarios, voice-based conversation, automated feedback and self-paced repeat practice. Importantly, CIT positioned the tool as a complement to face-to-face role play, not a replacement for it.
The early results reported by FSO are encouraging. Phoenix Academy reported “a 15% lift in expected course completion, 100% positive feedback from staff and students, a 50% reduction in the time needed to provide the same volume of practice activities, and a 70–80% reduction in the time needed to provide contextualised feedback.” Across both trials, students saw the tool as a safe place to make mistakes and improve before being assessed or observed by their peers. CIT also found that the approach fitted within existing teaching models and provided support to students with different starting points, including those from diverse language backgrounds.
For the broader VET sector, the case study is useful because it identifies how AI can offer targeted teaching support. But a clear message from the case study is that successful use of AI depends on careful educational design: scenarios have to be mapped to unit of competency requirements (including specifically performance criteria and knowledge evidence), students need clear instructions, and trainers need a shared understanding of AI’s role, limitations and ethical use.
