Overhead crane operation is typically performed indoors to lift heavy loads. During operation, the operator must be fully aware of all hazards and potential dangers, as these directly affect the safety of other shopfloor workers in the same facility. The traditional approach to training these operators involves theory-based lessons and supervised real crane operation for a set period, whereas virtual reality (VR)-based simulation environments provide an engaging training experience with repeatability and scenarios that resemble real-life hazards and difficulties. In this case study, 13 trainees participated in overhead crane training, conducted in three modalities: first, theory-based training, then real crane operation, and finally, training in a VR simulation environment. After that, participants’ responses were recorded using a Likert scale-based self-evaluation questionnaire, in which they rated the training methods according to their perceptions across five competency domains. The goal of this work is to compare the effectiveness of the three training methods for overhead crane training across the key competency domains. Given the small sample size and the ordinal nature of the data, non-parametric analyses were conducted. This paper investigates the effect of integrating immersive technologies with traditional training methods and provides empirical evidence for the establishment of a safe and cost-effective mixed-mode training method for overhead crane training.