Your questions about the Singapore’s aviation industry answered
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What are the benefits of working in aviation?
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Do I need an aviation degree to work in the industry?
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What support is available to help me transition into the aviation industry?
Singapore’s aviation industry continues to evolve as global travel patterns shift and passenger demand grows. With international visitor arrivals and air travel volumes showing strong growth, the sector is experiencing renewed momentum and expansion.
With the rising demands for air transport and services, so is the workforce needed to run operations. Singapore’s aviation ecosystem encompasses diverse opportunities across multiple sub-sectors: local airlines like Singapore Airlines and Scoot connecting passengers worldwide, ground handling services managing aircraft turnarounds and passenger services, aircraft maintenance ensuring flight safety and reliability, aviation security protecting passengers and infrastructure, and airport operations coordinating the complex logistics that keep Changi Airport running smoothly.
Each of these areas offers unique career paths and specialisations, creating a rich landscape of employment opportunities for professionals at all levels. Time to rejoice, jobseekers and mid-career switchers, because the Singapore aviation sector is on a hiring spree!
Wait, what? Are you still unsure if joining the sector would be the right career decision for you? We bring you not one but three reasons why the Singapore aviation job is worth considering.
Three reasons why the Singapore aviation sector is worth considering
1. Earn better wages and enhanced career prospects
Amid efforts to ramp up hiring, the aviation sector is also looking to provide better wages and job prospects for staff. National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general Ng Chee Meng said, “I understand that there’s a shortage of labour at the moment, but in three, six months’ time when we welcome the return of workers, I think we will have better opportunities for better businesses.”
“And I think the aviation outlook will be much brighter. You can look forward to better wages and better work prospects, hopefully within the next 12 to 24 months.”
2. Government support to develop your career in aviation
To help the sector attract, grow and upskill the manpower needed to support the near-term ramp-up in air travel and Changi Airport’s future growth, with the development of Changi East, including the new Terminal 5, the OneAviation Careers Hub was launched in the third quarter of 2022.
The one-stop online aviation resource portal provides the following for Singaporeans who wish to join the aviation sector and existing aviation professionals seeking to grow their careers:
- End-to-end job facilitation
- Career and training advisory and counselling
- Recruitment services
A tripartite initiative, the hub was developed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Aerospace & Aviation cluster, NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), and supported by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG).
3. Opportunities for career development and career resilience
Stephanie Ho, Head of Talent Acquisition, People Team at Changi Airport Group (CAG), shared:
“Career growth and development are critical for the long-term retention of employees, especially in a competitive marketplace. Understanding this, CAG places a lot of emphasis on actively developing the careers of its employees.”
CAG introduced an in-house programme called “FutureReadyME”, which aims to kickstart every CAG employee’s journey towards becoming future-ready. This also involves equipping them with essential knowledge and skills in key digital areas such as growth mindset, digital literacy, data analysis, and innovation methodologies.
To provide additional support for upskilling and reskilling for the digital future of work, a “FutureReadyME” Fund was also launched to fund training in selected digital areas, aligned with competencies that CAG needs to enable digital transformation and support agile ways of working.
Check out jobs at Changi Airport Group here.
Another company that has been actively hiring via the MyCareersFuture Job Portal is SATS. Jeremy Tang, the company’s Head of Talent Acquisition and Resource Planning, shared:
“As the premier Gateway Services and Food Solutions provider in the Changi air hub. SATS is ideally placed to take advantage of this growth. With the huge demand in travel, we are constantly strengthening our talent pipelines to hire the right people to drive strategic and operational goals,” he added.
SATS is also focused on cultivating a work culture of lifelong learning to ensure that staff are well-equipped to perform optimally in their respective roles.
“SATS will ensure that comprehensive training is provided for staff to excel in their new career. We are a strong proponent of continuous learning, spearheaded by our SATS Academy to ensure a culture of lifelong learning,” said Jeremy.
“Regardless of whether you are a fresh graduate or someone who is looking at switching sectors, we would like to encourage you to keep an open mind and look out for the exciting opportunities that we have.”
Read More: Here’s Why You Should Consider Being an Aerospace Engineer
Check out jobs at SATS here.
Preparing for the future: How technology is reshaping aviation careers
As Singapore’s aviation sector grows, it’s also transforming through automation and digitalisation. These megatrends are creating both challenges and opportunities for workers across the industry.
Ground handling operations are seeing significant changes with automated baggage systems, robotic cargo handling, and digital tracking technologies. Whilst some traditional manual roles may evolve, new positions are emerging in equipment maintenance, system monitoring, and data analysis.
Workers in this sector increasingly need technical troubleshooting skills, familiarity with digital interfaces, and the ability to work alongside automated systems.
Across the aviation ecosystem, digitalisation is driving demand for workers who can bridge traditional aviation knowledge with modern technology. Key skills becoming essential include:
- Digital literacy for operating advanced airport management systems
- Data analysis capabilities to optimise flight operations and passenger flow
- Cybersecurity awareness as aviation systems become more connected
- Adaptability and continuous learning to keep pace with evolving technologies
- Human-machine collaboration skills for working effectively with automated systems
Rather than replacing workers entirely, these technological advances are reshaping job roles and creating opportunities for those willing to upskill and adapt to the digital future of aviation.
Get supported in making a successful industry switch
Even if you lack formal training or professional experience, there are plenty of opportunities to prepare you for a career in aviation. Check out WSG’s Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) with On-the-Job Training to prepare you for a career in the sector.
If you need professional advice on navigating your career journey, register here to speak to a career coach!
