Toolmaker with VR Training (VR Headset v3 Included)
Manufacturers are looking for highly skilled workers to create increasingly complex and important products. If you want a stable career in an industry that needs you, consider becoming a toolmaker. This online toolmaker training will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to prove competency and begin your new career quickly. As you progress through your coursework, you will use virtual reality (VR) technology to reinforce your learning and complete 10 labs/simulations. Upon...
Explore our Benefits of Virtual Reality flyer to get a better understanding of the value this manufacturing training can offer
Prepare for a career as a toolmaker, tool and die maker, or tool and die machinist
Gain the skills you need to confidently perform your job
Enrolled students are invited to attend our exclusive annual virtual National Apprenticeship Week events, featuring live webinars, workshops, and employer interactions
How the course is taught
Self-paced, online course
12 Months to complete
Open enrollment, begin anytime
160 course hours
Outline
Abrasives
Grinding Processes 201
Grinding Safety 211
Basic Grinding Theory 221
Basics of the Surface Grinder 231
Basics of the Cylindrical Grinder 232
Basics of the Centerless Grinder 233
Setup for the Surface Grinder 241
Setup for the Cylindrical Grinder 242
Setup for the Centerless Grinder 243
Surface Grinder Operation 251
Cylindrical Grinder Operation 252
Centerless Grinder Operation 253
Introduction to Grinding Fluids 261
Grinding Variables 301
Grinding Nonferrous Metals 311
Grinding Nonferrous Materials 321
Grinding Wheel Materials 331
Dressing and Truing 341
Grinding Wheel Geometry 361
CNC
Introduction to CNC Machines 201
Basics of CNC Lathe 211
Basics of CNC Mill 212
CNC Specs for the Mill 220
Coordinates for the CNC Lathe 221
Coordinates for the CNC Mill 222
CNC Specs for the Lathe 225
Basics of G Code Programming 231
Introduction to CAD and CAM for Machining 241
Control Panel Functions for the CNC Lathe 251
Control Panel Functions for the CNC Mill 252
Creating a CNC Turning Program 301
Creating a CNC Milling Program 302
Calculations for Programming the Lathe 311
Calculations for Programming the Mill 312
Canned Cycles for the Lathe 321
Canned Cycles for the Mill 322
CNC Controls: Fanuc
Fanuc Mill: Control Panel Overview 250
Fanuc Lathe: Control Panel Overview 255
Fanuc Mill: First Part Runs 320
Fanuc Lathe: First Part Runs 325
CNC Controls: Haas
Haas Mill: Classic Control Panel Overview 250
Haas Lathe Classic Control Panel Overview 256
Haas Mill Classic Controls: First Part Runs 320
Haas Lathe Classic Controls: First Part Runs 325
CNC Controls: Mazak
Mazak Mill: Control Panel Overview 250
Mazak Lathe: Control Panel Overview 255
Creating an EIA/ISO Program for the Mazak Mill 286
Creating an EIA/ISO Program for the Mazak Lathe 287
Creating a Mazatrol Program for the Mill 288
Creating a Mazatrol Program for the Lathe 289
Mazak Mill: First Part Runs 320
Mazak Lathe: First Part Runs 325
Inspection
Basic Measurement 101
Blueprint Reading 131
Introduction to GD&T 301
Major Rules GD&T 311
Inspecting a Prismatic Part 321
Inspecting a Cylindrical Part 331
Lean
Lean Manufacturing Overview 101
Continuous Process Improvement: Managing Flow 124
Continuous Process Improvement: Identifying and Eliminating Waste 125
Total Productive Maintenance 141
5S Overview 151
Intro to Six Sigma 171
Troubleshooting 181
Conducting Kaizen Events 191
SPC Overview 211
Metrics for Lean 231
Process Flow Charting 241
Strategies for Setup Reduction 251
Management Tools: Problem Solving 270
Management Tools: Product and Process Design 275
Six Sigma Goals and Tools 310
Manual Machining
Manual Mill Basics 201
Engine Lathe Basics 211
Manual Mill Setup 221
Engine Lathe Setup 231
Benchwork and Layout Operations 241
Manual Mill Operation 251
Engine Lathe Operation 261
Holemaking on the Manual Mill 271
Threading on the Engine Lathe 301
Taper Turning on the Engine Lathe 311
Materials
Introduction to Physical Properties 101
Introduction to Mechanical Properties 111
Introduction to Metals 121
Introduction to Metal Manufacturing 180
Classification of Steel 201
Essentials of Heat Treatment of Steel 211
Hardness Testing 221
Ferrous Metals 231
Nonferrous Metals 241
Exotic Alloys 301
Metal Cutting
Intro to EDM 100
Safety for Metal Cutting 101
Cutting Processes 111
Overview of Machine Tools 121
Basic Cutting Theory 201
Band Saw Operation 211
Introduction to Metal Cutting Fluids 221
Metal Cutting Fluid Safety 231
Toolholders for Turning 260
Speed and Feed for the Lathe 301
Speed and Feed for the Mill 311
Machining Titanium Alloys 325
Lathe Tool Geometry 351
Mill Tool Geometry 361
Drill Tool Geometry 371
Quality
ISO 9001:2015 Review 122
Approaches to Maintenance 131
Equipment/Tool Design and Development 137
Customer-Focused Quality 155
Safety
Introduction to OSHA 101
Ergonomics 102
Personal Protective Equipment 111
Noise Reduction and Hearing Conservation 121
Respiratory Safety 131
Lockout/Tagout Procedures 141
SDS and Hazard Communication 151
Bloodborne Pathogens 161
Walking and Working Surfaces 171
Fire Safety and Prevention 181
Flammable/Combustible Liquids 191
Hand and Power Tool Safety 201
Safety for Lifting Devices 211
Powered Industrial Truck Safety 221
Confined Spaces 231
Environmental Safety Hazards 241
Machine Guarding 271
Shop Essentials (Applied Mathematics)
Math Fundamentals 101
Math: Fractions and Decimals 111
Manufacturing Process Applications: Part I 124
Manufacturing Process Applications: Part II 125
Algebra Fundamentals 141
Geometry: Lines and Angles 151
Geometry: Triangles 161
Geometry: Circles and Polygons 171
Trigonometry: The Pythagorean Theorem 201
Trigonometry: Sine, Cosine, Tangent 211
Statistics 231
Stamping
Die Components 130
Die Cutting Variables 200
Supervisor Essentials
Essentials of Leadership 100
Managing Performance: Best Practices 130
Managing Performance: Corrective Actions 135
Conflict Resolution Principles 150
Conflict Resolution for Different Groups 155
Team Leadership 160
Manufacturing Management 180
Personal Effectiveness 190
Managing the Diverse Workplace 210
Harassment and Discrimination 215
Performance Management and the Law 230
Welding
Fabrication Process 232
Workforce Essentials
Essentials of Communication 115
Workholding
Introduction to Workholding 101
Locating Devices 121
Clamping Basics 131
Chucks, Collets, and Vises 141
Drill Bushing Selection 230
Instructors & Support
This is not an instructor facilitated course; however, support will be provided through email.
Requirements
Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites to take this course. However, this course requires basic computer skills, including the ability to open and manage windows, navigate websites, and perform common online tasks such as downloading files, completing forms, and using web-based tools.
Requirements:
Hardware Requirements:
This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.
Software Requirements:
PC: Windows 10 or later.
Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
Other:
Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
Instructional Material Requirements:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.
The following materials will be shipped to you approximately 10 business days after enrollment:
Meta Quest 3 VR Headset Kit (headset, 2 controllers, case, and elite strap)
Material Fees are non-refundable upon registration.
Please note: Due to the high cost of the VR Headset Kit, it will not ship until 10 days after your start date.
FAQ
According to Salary.com, the average salary for a toolmaker in the United States is $71,630 as of May 1, 2025.
No.
After you register, you will receive 12 months to complete the course. The time allotted for completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours.
The course includes the Meta Quest 3 headset with the two controllers, a carrying case, and the Elite Strap.
If there are issues with the simulations, you can contact a student advisor and/or access the VR Help Center in the Learning Management System, which includes documentation, videos, and guides to assist with any issues.
If there are any issues with the hardware, you should contact Meta for assistance.
You do not need to have any prior experience with VR technology to take the course. However, if you do not have any experience with VR, we have a Virtual Reality Navigator, a comprehensive guide with tutorials, games, glossary, and best practices in the virtual world.
You do not have to return the headset and accessories once you complete the course, it is included in the cost of this program.
Using virtual reality in learning has many benefits. Here is a link to a document summarizing the many benefits.
For this course, only the 10 labs/simulations are delivered through virtual reality. However, there is an option to complete the simulations on the web.
You have the option of completing the labs in a web browser (Chrome recommended)
Mobile App: Android and Apple
Network bandwidth: A broadband internet connection is required for larger images, audio, video, interactive components, and Virtual Labs.
Screen resolution: The minimum screen resolution recommended is 1024 x 768 pixel
Ram: 8 GB is the minimum recommendation
Graphic Card: Not required but will increase performance of Virtual Labs
This particular VR experience is only compatible with Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3.
Technical support is provided through the robust Hemp Center available in the Learning Management Systems.
If you experience motion sickness or discomfort while using VR, there is an option to complete the labs in a web browser (Chrome recommended).
To access the VR content, you will need to download a specific app from the Meta Quest store. The information for this will be provided upon enrollment.
There is no interaction with instructors and other students in the VR environment.
We have a Virtual Reality Navigator, a comprehensive guide with tutorials, games, glossary, and best practices in the virtual world that can help you get started.
You have the option of completing the labs using virtual reality or web-based simulations. If the VR equipment breaks or malfunctions, you can complete the labs using the web-based versions.
This course is open enrollment, so you can register and start the course whenever you are ready. Access to your course can take 24-48 business hours.
The time allotted for course completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours. However, if you are unable to complete the course, contact the student advising team to see what options you may have available to work out a suitable completion date. Please note that an extension fee may be charged.
Our courses are designed to accommodate various learning preferences. Depending on the course structure, you may get different forms of support. Self-paced courses are designed to be user-friendly and independent, minimizing the need for external support. In courses with instructors, our direct platform support feature includes opportunities for questions, discussions, and remediation, with email and phone support available for select courses. Our student advising team is available to guide you on program requirements and administrative requests, but they do not provide assistance with course content. Our goal is to provide you with the necessary support for success, whether it's through self-paced exploration, direct communication, or guidance from our advising team.
Upon successfully passing the final exam, you will be awarded a certificate of completion from the school or organization that you registered through.
ed2go courses will help you gain the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. However, you should always research the job market in your area before enrolling.
ed2go courses are non-credit, so they do not qualify for federal aid, FAFSA, and Pell Grant. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards may provide funding to take our courses. Additionally, you may qualify for financial assistance if you meet certain requirements. Learn more about financial assistance.
If you have questions that are not answered on our website, representatives are available via LIVE chat. You can also call us at 1-877-221-5151 during regular business hours to have your questions promptly answered. If you are visiting us during non-business hours, please send us a question using the “Contact Us.”