Singapore EduSmart Learning Hub

Building structured on-the-job training that turns educators’ experience into shared capability.

For Singapore EduSmart Learning Hub, delivering quality education starts with developing the people who support its students every day.

Established in 2012, EduSmart provides Student Care and KCare programmes to more than 1,000 students daily. Over the years, its supervisors and senior teachers have built deep practical experience and institutional knowledge in supporting children’s learning, development and care.

As the organisation grew, EduSmart saw an opportunity to pass this knowledge on more systematically. Its educators already had strong practical know-how; what was missing was a structured way to translate that experience into consistent onboarding for new teachers.

To take this next step, EduSmart partnered with the Institute for Adult Learning (IAL) through a Learning Enterprise Alliance (LEA) project to build a structured on-the-job training (OJT) system and grow its internal training capability.

The Opportunity: Turning Teaching Experience into Shared Capability

With more than a decade of experience, EduSmart had accumulated valuable knowledge across its operations. The opportunity was to capture this knowledge more systematically and strengthen how new teachers were supported as they transitioned into their roles.

Through surveys and interviews with new teachers, senior teachers, supervisors and management, the project team identified opportunities to provide clearer training guidance, strengthen assessment and better prepare new teachers for day-to-day workplace situations. 

More than documenting processes, the project aimed to equip EduSmart’s supervisors and senior teachers with the skills and knowledge to develop, deliver and sustain structured OJT within the organisation.

For Sam Lam, Chief Executive Officer of Singapore EduSmart Learning Hub, investing in people was central to this journey:

“Our staff are our key assets, and our management strongly believe in investing in staff training to enhance our organisational capability.”

Having built up valuable institutional knowledge over more than 10 years, EduSmart wanted an OJT approach that could capture this experience while being customised to its organisational needs. 

Building Capability Through Everyday Practice

Rather than introducing a generic training programme, the LEA project was built around EduSmart’s actual workplace practices.

Working with the project team, the IAL consultant co-developed a structured OJT system, starting with a key KCare task: the nap-time routine. OJT guides, training schedules, assessment tools and observation checklists translated workplace experience into clear, consistent steps for learning and assessment.

The project also built internal capability, equipping the Project Champion and supervisors as Master Trainers using the DEPAF approach: Demonstration, Explain with Demonstration, Practice, Assess and Follow-up.

This enabled EduSmart to extend structured OJT to other workplace tasks over time.

Empowering Educators to Become Workplace Trainers

The rollout was not without friction. Access to the centre to observe the pilot in person was limited, so the consultant supported the Project Champion largely through remote guidance as she implemented the OJT system and ran the pilot with the OJT Trainers and new teachers.

The project brought together the practical experience of its educators with a structured approach to training. Supervisors and senior teachers were not simply given a set of materials to follow. They were equipped with the knowledge and confidence to guide learning, provide feedback and assess new teachers in the workplace.

Reflecting on the journey, Karyne shared:

“The journey of co-creating the on-the-job training guide with our consultant, Ms. Kris, was a significant milestone in advancing workplace learning.”

She also highlighted how the resulting guide brought together the team’s shared insights, experiences and aspirations, creating a foundation for sustainable learning practices. 

By developing educators as workplace trainers, EduSmart is strengthening its ability to transfer knowledge internally and build capability from within.

Outcomes: Stronger Training, Greater Confidence

By the end of the project, EduSmart had established a structured OJT system to support more consistent onboarding and workplace learning.

Three perception surveys, covering the project team, senior teachers and supervisors, and new teachers, measured feedback against a 75% positive-response target. All three groups recorded over 90% positive responses:

• The project team were satisfied with the outcomes of the structured OJT programme, citing stronger staff development, more consistent training delivery and closing of skills gaps.
• Senior teachers and supervisors agreed the structured training guide gave them clear direction and a more consistent approach to onboarding.
• New teachers agreed the OJT programme increased their confidence and helped them perform daily routines more safely.

With EduSmart’s full staff strength of more than 150 projected to benefit as the OJT system extends beyond this first pilot, the impact reaches well past the initial group of new teachers trained.

EduSmart now also has the internal capability to sustain this work on its own. Master Trainers can support OJT Trainers, new guides can be developed for other workplace tasks, and institutional knowledge can keep being translated into practical learning resources.

For EduSmart, structured OJT is more than an onboarding tool. It is a way to preserve the experience of its educators, strengthen professional practice, and build a more sustainable approach to developing its people.

Looking Ahead: Growing a Culture of Workplace Learning

With the foundation in place, EduSmart is looking to build momentum by empowering more supervisors and senior teachers to take an active role in workplace learning.

As Karyne shared:

“Looking ahead, our focus is on building momentum, empowering more Supervisors and Senior Teachers to become leaders of change and ensuring that the principles of on-the-job learning continue to strengthen teams, the organisation, and the future of workplace development.” 

As structured OJT is progressively extended to more workplace tasks, EduSmart can continue turning the experience of its educators into shared organisational capability. This supports stronger teams, more confident educators, and consistent quality of care for the children they serve.

Ultimately, the journey supports EduSmart’s vision of becoming a quality innovation provider of education services, where continuous learning is embedded not only in what it provides for students, but also in how its people learn and grow at work.

Looking to turn your organisation’s experience into workplace capabilities that can grow with your business?

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