30 December 2022 Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS)
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Aerospace & Aviation (A&A) Cluster, and NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for tripartite partners in the Singapore aviation sector. The MOU will boost workforce development as air travel recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and Singapore rebuilds and reclaims its position as a global air hub. The MOU was signed by Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS, Mr Goviden Sathasivam, Co-Chairman, NTUC A&A Cluster and Ms Caryn Lim, CEO of e2i, on 30 December 2022, at NTUC A&A Cluster’s year-end networking dinner. The signing was witnessed by Mr Ng Chee Meng, Secretary-General of NTUC.
2 Under the MOU, CAAS, NTUC A&A Cluster and e2i will work together to boost aviation workforce development in three key areas:
a. Attract Singaporeans to build a career in aviation
The tripartite partners will work together to promote careers in aviation and attract more Singaporeans, both fresh graduates as well as mid-career individuals, to join the sector to meet growing demand for jobs in traditional areas such as service, operations and engineering as well as new emerging areas such as sustainability and technology and innovation. In May 2022, CAAS worked with the tripartite partners to hold the OneAviation Careers Fair which attracted over 11,000 visitors. In October 2022, we launched the OneAviation Careers Hub to provide aviation companies with recruitment support and job-matching services, jobseekers career coaching and in-employment support for skills upgrading. While the aviation sector has recovered to about 90% of its pre-COVID workforce, manpower demand is expected to increase in 2023 as air travel further recovers.
b. Support retention and skills upgrading of aviation workers
Job requirements in the Singapore aviation sector will change with technological advancements, innovation and a greater focus on sustainability. Through this agreement, CAAS, NTUC A&A Cluster and e2i will help equip and support workers by:
(i) Working with the Company Training Committees (CTCs) under the NTUC A&A Cluster, to develop and support structured career progression pathways and upskilling opportunities for workers in aviation through efforts such as job redesign and regular review of training needs and manpower plans; and
(ii) Promoting good employment practices amongst employers within the aviation sector to enhance employee retention.
This builds on the Singapore OneAviation Reskilling (SOAR) programme, which was launched in June 2021 by the NTUC A&A Cluster and CAAS to develop and support structured career progression pathways and upskilling opportunities. Since its launch, the SOAR programme has supported close to 10,000 training places.
c. Support workforce cohesion and well-being
Since the pandemic hit, aviation frontliners have worked tirelessly under challenging conditions to keep the Singapore air hub running. To drive greater workforce cohesion within the airport community and support their well-being, the parties will:
(i) Cultivate a positive and conducive working environment within the airport community and promote workforce cohesion through efforts such as promotion of the NTUC A&A Cluster’s OneAirHub Community, and enhancement of airport worker amenities and welfare; and
(ii) Engage the aviation workforce in sector transformation, including sharing regular updates on air hub priorities including environmental sustainability and airport automation.
3 Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of the CAAS, said, “The Singapore aviation sector offers exciting long-term career opportunities for Singaporeans, as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, rebuild the air hub and develop the new Changi Airport Terminal Five which, when ready in mid-2030s, will serve our aviation needs for decades to come. The signing of this MOU is testament to the shared commitment by the tripartite partners to workforce development and well-being and to make concerted effort to attract more Singaporeans to join the sector in the coming year.”
4 Mr Goviden Sathasivam, Co-Chairman, NTUC Aerospace & Aviation Cluster, said, “The sector is still recovering from the initial years of COVID-19 and our unions have met with challenges in different forms. Through this partnership, we hope that we can continue to ensure that our members’ welfare and employability are enhanced.”
5 Ms Caryn Lim, CEO of e2i shared, “The aviation sector offers good jobs with diverse career opportunities that are constantly evolving with technological advancements. e2i will continue recruitment support for companies and provide employability assistance to individuals, matching them to roles in aviation sector. If you are passionate about aviation, technology and airport operations, the OneAviation Careers Hub portal is a good starting point to know what are the available jobs and career resources.”