What does effective on-the-job training actually look like?
In this episode, David sits down with Paul Smith, Head of Coworker Development at Baker Construction and author of Learning While Working: Structuring Your On-the-Job Training. Paul shares how his team turns real-time job experiences into meaningful development—without pulling people off the floor.
They dive into how Baker Construction balances safety, quality, schedule, and productivity (SSQP) while equipping leaders to be coaches and performance partners. Paul also breaks down what makes on-the-job learning “structured,” and why accountability—not checklists—makes all the difference.
If you’ve ever struggled to scale training without sacrificing impact, this conversation is for you.
You’ll learn:
– What makes structured OJT different from job shadowing or trial-by-fire learning
– How to embed accountability and coaching into every role
– Why SSQP (Safety, Schedule, Quality, Productivity) drives learning design
– The business case for tying training to advancement