Inside Rainbow Centre: How training, support and progression help staff thrive in special education

When Nurul Adlina Ahmad first joined Rainbow Centre in 2021, she entered a sector she had not worked in before, and one where the demands could be both emotional and physical.

She began as a learning facilitator, supporting teachers with lessons and behaviour management.

Over time, with guidance from colleagues and opportunities to develop, she progressed into a teaching role and now leads her own class at Rainbow Centre Admiral Hill School after completing the Diploma in Special Education.

For Nurul Adlina, one of the clearest signs that her employer was investing in her was the chance to pursue the diploma.

That opportunity gave her the knowledge and confidence to step up from a supporting role into full teaching responsibilities.

Rainbow Centre was one of the many companies that was recognised by the Singapore Opportunity Index (SOI).

SOI identifies 300 organisations excelling in five key areas that matter to workers: career progression, pay, hiring practices, staff retention and gender parity.

The company is also in the top 20 per cent of employers assessed, with strong performance in progression and retention. It was also noted to be very strong in advancement probability and solid in both entry and continuous retention, supporting the ‘Career Builder’ award.

(Photo credit: Rainbow Centre)

Nurul Adlina also credits structured training, including a Certificate in Autism course and internal courses such as Proactive and Positive Behaviour Management, with helping her better support students, including during meltdowns, while growing her own classroom skills.

She described Rainbow Centre’s team-based approach as a key reason she has been able to sustain herself in the job.

“The team-based approach at Rainbow Centre has been very important in helping me sustain my work. Beyond support from colleagues and senior staff, a key structure is the Individualised Education Plan (IEP) process, which ensures that student support is shared and well-coordinated,” she explained.

That shared responsibility, together with structured routines and a culture that encourages staff to seek help, has helped her stay effective and well.

It is also why she has stayed. Beyond the sense of purpose that comes from seeing her students grow, Nurul Adlina said what keeps her at Rainbow Centre is a collaborative environment, supportive colleagues and leaders who are invested in staff development.

That support has mattered in a demanding sector.

According to the Teaching and Learning International Survey 2024 report, teachers in Singapore work an average of 47.3 hours per week – higher than the 41-hour average among OECD countries.

Dealing with students with special needs only adds to the demands on teachers.

Then-Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said in 2024 that the Ministry of Education (MOE) is doing more to better support special education (SPED) teachers to address stress and burnout risks.

Mr Chan was responding to Pioneer SMC MP and NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Patrick Tay in Parliament.

Rainbow Centre’s approach to staff development and well-being

Rainbow Centre, a social service agency that supports persons with disabilities through special education, early intervention and adult services, says it has put in place a structured approach to help employees grow.

Its broader vision includes building a competent and motivated workforce through progressive people practices and talent development.

Rainbow Centre Deputy Director of People and Culture, Valiant Chiang, said one of the company’s key focuses is competency building.

All new staff go through a one-week foundation training to understand Rainbow Centre’s mission, work context, clients and shared philosophy.

For staff who are in client-facing roles, such as teachers, therapists, social workers and psychologists, this is followed by another week of more advanced training.

Mr Chiang said this is especially important because many hires may be fresh graduates or mid-careerists from other industries with little prior experience in the disability sector.

That investment continues after onboarding.

Mr Chiang said Rainbow Centre Training and Consultancy, its in-house training arm and a SkillsFuture-registered training provider, was set up to equip staff with more advanced skills over time.

For SPED staff, the pathway is designed with progression in mind.

New SPED educators are typically hired as assistant teachers.

After two years, they have the opportunity to be sponsored for the National Institute of Education’s Diploma in Special Education and continued to be paid during the full-time study.

When they are done with their full-time studies, they become trained teachers.

Mr Chiang said Rainbow Centre sends about 25 staff a year for the one-year full-time training.

From there, staff can deepen their expertise.

Rainbow Centre has specialist tracks in language and communication, literacy and numeracy, and physical education.

It has also collaborated with Temasek Polytechnic on a Specialist Diploma in Applied Autism Studies, opening another pathway for staff seeking to build deeper expertise.

(Photo credit: Rainbow Centre)

But Rainbow Centre’s approach is not only about skills and qualifications.

Mr Chiang said the company has also been working on the broader employee experience, from hiring and onboarding to recognition and retention.

In 2024, it redesigned its long service awards, so appreciation starts from three years instead of five.

Staff can receive a learning development grant, and at later milestones, choose between more support for learning or mini-sabbatical leave.

Other efforts have included reducing work hours from 42.5 to 40 hours, recognising staff values through peer nomination awards, and strengthening mental well-being support.

Mr Chiang said Rainbow Centre already has self-care leave and employee assistance support in place and is now looking at stronger peer support systems for staff dealing with emotionally difficult moments at work.

Mr Chiang said the SOI recognition was encouraging, but not a reason for complacency.

He described Rainbow Centre’s guiding principle as creating the right employee experience, with retention and progression as outcomes of doing that well.

One of the next areas of focus, he added, is mental well-being support for staff.

Union support helps strengthen the workplace

Rainbow Centre is unionised under The Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers’ Union (SMMWU), and that partnership adds another layer of support for workers.

SMMWU Executive Councillor Tan Hong Yi said Rainbow Centre’s recognition in the SOI reflects the concrete efforts the management has made over the years to improve staff progression, retention and fair opportunities for workers.

He added that key union concerns in the social service sector include wages, career progression for SPED teachers, training opportunities, and the balance between care for beneficiaries and cost constraints.

Mr Tan said one example of union-management collaboration was the SMMWU’s lobbying for higher salaries for SPED teachers in 2022.

In 2024, it was announced that special education teachers would receive salary increases of up to 12 per cent, while teacher aides would receive up to 15 per cent between 2024 and 2026.

He also said the union’s engagement activities across Rainbow Centre’s schools have helped workers better understand that they have another avenue of support for employment-related concerns.

For Mr Tan, that matters in a sector where people often join because they believe in the mission.

“How does the union help ensure that this sense of purpose is matched by fair treatment, good career pathways and sustainable working conditions? The union has always had open and constructive discussions on the Collective Agreement with Rainbow Centre.

“This has helped to ensure positive and sustainable outcomes. Furthermore, the union stands ready to support Rainbow Centre in new guidelines and legislation, such as the Flexible Work Arrangements and Workplace Fairness Act,” he said.

(Photo credit: Rainbow Centre)

A meaningful career with the right support and opportunities

For Nurul Adlina, her journey working in the SPED sector has not yet seen the end of the rainbow.

“In the longer term, I am interested in working towards becoming a literacy specialist teacher. I would like to support students across different learning groups, rather than teaching a single class, so that I can make a broader impact in developing foundational literacy skills,” she said.

She also said that, although there is room to grow in the sector, her experience with Rainbow Centre has shown her that with the right training, support and opportunities, it is possible to build a meaningful and sustainable career in the sector.

“While the work can be challenging, it is also very rewarding, and you are constantly learning and growing alongside your students.”

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