Resumo. The use of virtual reality simulators has become the most efficient solution for training, allowing the preparation of operators quickly and at low costs. This study evaluated the performance of operators undergoing training with forwarder virtual reality simulators. The study was carried out at the Forest Operators Training Center (CENFOR) at Central Western Parana State University, Parana State, Brazil. A group of 26 operators from different forest companies were evaluated. None of the operators had experience with forest machines operation, being evaluated their performance in various operations variable. Data was collected at the beginning and at the end of each training module of the virtual reality simulator. Results indicated that the operators had higher difficulty to execute the log load operation, due the small visibility and logging residues over log piles. The higher evolution in the performance of the operators during the training had been the lower impact number with the machine, with average gains of 85.7 and 65.9%, in modules III and IV, respectively, which include the operations of loading logs.