SINGAPORE: Air travel is expected to fully resume this year, and Singapore is prepared to provide the aerospace industry the manpower it needs to grow.
The sector is expected to hire more than 2,500 workers in the country over the next three to five years to support continuing recovery in the sector.
Last year, aerospace output here grew 16 per cent year-on-year, outpacing global output.
With 1,800 students graduating from aerospace and aviation courses every year, the industry association told CNA that there is enough talent in the pipeline.
“In terms of absolute numbers being trained at the schools, I think we have more than what the industry needs,” said Mr Sia Kheng Yok, CEO of the Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore).
“But the issue is whether or not the industry can attract enough of those students to then actually come and work for the industry, because they're in such high demand as well by other engineering sectors.”
The association has been working with schools to get students interested in the industry early on, such as taking them to the six-day Singapore Airshow that ended on Sunday (Feb 25).
It also takes initiative to connect with potential talent. For instance, it engages students in university aviation clubs who have already expressed an interest in the industry.
The association has also set up an education advisory panel that meets on a regular basis with Institutes of Higher Learning like polytechnics to discuss the curriculum, and how it could fit with the needs of the industry in the future, Mr Sia added.
Industry players are also doing their part to ensure younger workers stay in the sector after they join.
For instance, ST Engineering actively takes a large number of interns from schools every year, said the firm’s president of commercial aerospace Jeffrey Lam.
"It is fundamental to ST Engineering that we have a mentorship programme, so that we can provide avenues for our younger talent to explore (career) options and discuss future opportunities,” he said.
He added that the firm has made efforts towards building a work culture which is appealing to younger employees.
“The expectations of the new generation are very different from during our (older generation’s) time. They look for more meaning, more flexibility … They want a work culture where they can engage with supervisors. They want to travel. They want to have digital solutions,” he said.
“Across all of those options, we are looking at opportunities to enhance our workplace to attract and retain the workforce.”
The Economic Development Board (EDB) is also working to ensure there are exciting jobs in the sector.
These include roles in advanced manufacturing, innovation, and sustainability.
“For example, we are working with companies and schools to introduce work-study programmes for aerospace. Our graduates can benefit from industry-relevant experience through structured on-the-job training, while working towards a higher qualification,” said Mr Lim Tse Yong, senior vice president and head of EDB’s Mobility and Industrial Solutions.
Locals make up 70 per cent of the total aerospace workforce, he added.
Apart from attracting new entrants to the sector, there are efforts to attract mid-career workers.
Since 2019, about 500 Singaporeans and over 40 companies in the aerospace industry have benefited from Workforce Singapore’s career conversion programme, he said.
Mr Lim added that global leading companies value Singapore's pro-business environment, stability, skilled workforce, and strong ecosystem.
“They trust us to be the key location to manufacture and repair mission critical parts, such as engine components and avionics,” he said, adding that the government will continue to invest in innovation to ensure Singapore’s manufacturing and repair facilities remain top notch.
Infrastructure to support such initiatives is also expected to grow in tandem with talent to meet the demand from the aerospace industry.
Earlier this month, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced that JTC Corporation, the government agency in charge of Singapore’s industrial progress, will build the fourth phase of a factory development in Seletar Aerospace Park by 2027.
Ms Lim Ai Ting, director of the Aerospace & Marine Cluster at the statutory board, said that JTC aeroSpace Four, which will add 11,000 sq m of space and 25 per cent more standard factory units, will increase production capacity.
JTC Corporation has been taking into consideration the changes in the industry when planning new factory spaces, she told CNA’s Singapore Tonight on Friday.
For instance, newer developments have higher ceilings and loading capacity to take into account the heavier and larger machines used in the industry currently and accommodate vertical carousels used for space optimisation, she said.
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The sector is expected to hire more than 2,500 workers in the country over the next three to five years to support continuing recovery in the sector.
Last year, aerospace output here grew 16 per cent year-on-year, outpacing global output.
With 1,800 students graduating from aerospace and aviation courses every year, the industry association told CNA that there is enough talent in the pipeline.
“In terms of absolute numbers being trained at the schools, I think we have more than what the industry needs,” said Mr Sia Kheng Yok, CEO of the Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore).
“But the issue is whether or not the industry can attract enough of those students to then actually come and work for the industry, because they're in such high demand as well by other engineering sectors.”
WOOING STUDENTS TO AEROSPACE
The association has been working with schools to get students interested in the industry early on, such as taking them to the six-day Singapore Airshow that ended on Sunday (Feb 25).
It also takes initiative to connect with potential talent. For instance, it engages students in university aviation clubs who have already expressed an interest in the industry.
The association has also set up an education advisory panel that meets on a regular basis with Institutes of Higher Learning like polytechnics to discuss the curriculum, and how it could fit with the needs of the industry in the future, Mr Sia added.
Industry players are also doing their part to ensure younger workers stay in the sector after they join.
For instance, ST Engineering actively takes a large number of interns from schools every year, said the firm’s president of commercial aerospace Jeffrey Lam.
"It is fundamental to ST Engineering that we have a mentorship programme, so that we can provide avenues for our younger talent to explore (career) options and discuss future opportunities,” he said.
He added that the firm has made efforts towards building a work culture which is appealing to younger employees.
“The expectations of the new generation are very different from during our (older generation’s) time. They look for more meaning, more flexibility … They want a work culture where they can engage with supervisors. They want to travel. They want to have digital solutions,” he said.
“Across all of those options, we are looking at opportunities to enhance our workplace to attract and retain the workforce.”
Related:
KEEPING THE SECTOR EXCITING
The Economic Development Board (EDB) is also working to ensure there are exciting jobs in the sector.
These include roles in advanced manufacturing, innovation, and sustainability.
“For example, we are working with companies and schools to introduce work-study programmes for aerospace. Our graduates can benefit from industry-relevant experience through structured on-the-job training, while working towards a higher qualification,” said Mr Lim Tse Yong, senior vice president and head of EDB’s Mobility and Industrial Solutions.
Locals make up 70 per cent of the total aerospace workforce, he added.
Apart from attracting new entrants to the sector, there are efforts to attract mid-career workers.
Since 2019, about 500 Singaporeans and over 40 companies in the aerospace industry have benefited from Workforce Singapore’s career conversion programme, he said.
Mr Lim added that global leading companies value Singapore's pro-business environment, stability, skilled workforce, and strong ecosystem.
“They trust us to be the key location to manufacture and repair mission critical parts, such as engine components and avionics,” he said, adding that the government will continue to invest in innovation to ensure Singapore’s manufacturing and repair facilities remain top notch.
INFRASTRUCTURE GROWTH
Infrastructure to support such initiatives is also expected to grow in tandem with talent to meet the demand from the aerospace industry.
Earlier this month, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced that JTC Corporation, the government agency in charge of Singapore’s industrial progress, will build the fourth phase of a factory development in Seletar Aerospace Park by 2027.
Ms Lim Ai Ting, director of the Aerospace & Marine Cluster at the statutory board, said that JTC aeroSpace Four, which will add 11,000 sq m of space and 25 per cent more standard factory units, will increase production capacity.
JTC Corporation has been taking into consideration the changes in the industry when planning new factory spaces, she told CNA’s Singapore Tonight on Friday.
For instance, newer developments have higher ceilings and loading capacity to take into account the heavier and larger machines used in the industry currently and accommodate vertical carousels used for space optimisation, she said.
Continue reading...