Singapore - SBS Transit says the biggest challenge it constantly faces is creating innovative learning programmes for its bus captains and a trainer believes he has the solution for them.

SBS Transit's assistant vice president of learning and development, Chey Yan Kit says it's a constant challenge because the majority of his bus captains are in their forties and fifties with only primary school education. "So it's how to think of creative new training platforms and delivery to help this category of staff in terms of enhancing their training."

Alvin Yapp, associate director and trainer for Training Edge International, concurs. "Especially at that level with very limited education, they just want to earn their money so it [training] has to be relevant for them."

Currently, SBS Transit conducts training in English and Mandarin to match the language proficiency levels of the employees. Likewise, there are standard classroom-based training tools such as diagrams and role-plays to facilitate easier understanding.

Chey says bus captains can relate to pictures but once the presentations contain words, they will switch off. "Because most of the times, they can't read. Reading words will turn them off. It's a question of what other things we can do outside the classroom."

The solution? Talk to these employees heart to heart, says Yapp and let the top management use real-life stories to convince them what they are doing has a deep impact on the customer's life. The company can start by communicating these questions to the bus drivers, he adds. "What does it mean to me as a bus captain to be courteous to the customers? Or to the passenger who comes up without the correct change? Or to a tourist who doesn't have an easylink card? What has me being nice, service-orientated got to do with my job and how does it impact this person?"

Only then, will the person be able to internalise these reasons and therefore be open to what the trainer has to share, Yapp explains.