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Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
Media Release

Aviation Sector to Grow and Create New Jobs for Singaporeans

18 July 2025

CAAS, WSG publish jobs transformation report; CAAS establishes $200 million OneAviation Manpower Fund to strengthen workforce development   

           The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) have jointly published a jobs transformation report for the Singapore aviation sector, to take stock of its current workforce, identify future trends, and develop programmes to help Singaporeans seize future opportunities in the sector which is expected to grow robustly over the next few decades, including with the opening of Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 5 in the mid-2030s. The report is the result of a year-long manpower study commissioned in 2024 by the CAAS and WSG, with support from the Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Transport, SkillsFuture Singapore, Ministry of Education, the Institutes of Higher Learning, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Aerospace and Aviation Cluster of Unions and aviation employers. This is the first comprehensive manpower study of the Singapore aviation sector. Insights were gathered from over 200 companies and detailed workshops conducted with key companies such as Certis Group, Changi Airport Group, dnata, SATS, SIA Engineering Company and SIA Group.

2          On 18 July 2025, Ms Sun Xueling, Senior Minister of State, the Singapore Ministry of Transport and Ministry of National Development, and aviation tripartite partners launched the report at the OneAviation Careers and Education Fair 2025 at the Suntec City Convention Centre.

Aviation Jobs Transformation Report
3          The Aviation Jobs Transformation Report provides a first-ever comprehensive stock-take of the Singapore aviation sector and identifies future trends that will impact jobs and skills. The key highlights are as follows:

  • The Singapore aviation sector directly employs over 60,000 workers today; this is expected to grow in tandem with air travel demand. They include employees in local airlines, airport operator and ground handling companies, critical supporting workforce in air traffic control, aircraft maintenance, immigration, safety and security operations, systems maintenance, and others, as well as workers instrumental to providing the unique Changi experience such as in cleaning, food & beverage, hospitality and travel retail services. The report identifies 31 operational job functions which are critical to day-to-day air hub operations, including pilots and cabin crew, baggage and cargo handling professionals, licensed aircraft engineers, aviation security officers and in-flight catering chefs. The sector will continue to build a pipeline of skilled professionals to fulfil these functions as the air hub grows.  

  • Six key megatrends will impact aviation jobs and skills over the next five years. The six key megatrends include three technology trends, namely digitalisation, data and Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation and robotics, and three non-technology trends, namely changing consumer preferences, changing workforce preferences and sustainability.  

  • These megatrends will transform existing jobs and create new and exciting jobs for the Singapore aviation sector, for up to 30% of the workforce over the next five years. Businesses and operations in the Singapore air hub will need to respond to these megatrends to stay competitive and resilient. Existing jobs will be transformed, and new jobs will be created for a new generation of Singapore workers. An example of this is in airport ground handling services where automation and robotics, and digitalisation will transform the traditionally labour-intensive nature of the work.

4          To strengthen aviation workforce development, the Report presents the sector’s plans to:

  • Deepen industry-education partnerships to equip Singaporeans with future skills and capabilities and promote aviation careers. CAAS will bring the sector and educational institutions together, to systematically develop capabilities and programmes to equip Singaporeans to seize future opportunities in aviation. Efforts will include collaboration to identify changing training needs, develop new curriculum and provide structured internships and in-house training to students and workers. To put this into action, on 18 July 2025, CAAS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Aviation Talent Development with nine Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to strengthen pathways into the sector for young Singaporeans and empower mid-career job seekers to pursue aspirations in aviation (see Annex A for more details of the MOU).

  • Accelerate ecosystem-level investments in technology and Research & Development (R&D) to assist workers and raise labour productivity. CAAS will work with industry, unions and the research community to develop a multi-year technology roadmap. This roadmap will orchestrate technology development and deployment across research institutes and companies and ensure that R&D efforts result in enhanced operational capabilities that can be deployed across the entire aviation ecosystem. As part of this, on the same day, CAAS signed a MOU on Strategic Collaboration for AI Capability and Talent Development with AI Singapore, Changi Airport Group, SATS, and the Singapore Airlines to collaborate on sector-wide problem statements using AI, and to build up a pool of AI talent for aviation (see Annex B for more details of the MOU).

  • Provide stronger and more targeted support to companies to transform jobs and better support workers. CAAS will establish a new $200 million[1] OneAviation Manpower Fund to support initiatives to better attract, develop and retain the OneAviation workforce. Schemes to tap on this fund will be designed in partnership with unions, aviation employers and education partners. The new funding support will target specific manpower development needs for the aviation sector; it will complement existing initiatives such as NTUC’s Company Training Committee grant for business and workforce transformation and WSG Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) for job redesign and reskilling efforts.

In addition, WSG will develop an Aviation Sector Job Redesign Playbook later this year to support aviation employers in identifying essential skillsets for emerging roles and implementing job redesign opportunities effectively. Through this playbook, Singaporeans can explore diverse job opportunities in aviation which align to their career aspirations. Employers can also leverage the national Career Health SG initiative’s suite of tools and resources to support their workers to build resilient and fulfilling careers in the sector.

OneAviation Careers and Education 2025: “One Industry. Many Opportunities”
5          Themed "One Industry. Many Opportunities.", the third edition of OneAviation Careers and Education Fair brings together over 40 aviation employers, aviation educational institutions and partner organisations to showcase the breadth of aviation opportunities to youths and mid-career job seekers. At this year’s event, visitors can experience the thrill of drone soccer, try their hand at flight and air traffic control simulators, and explore virtual reality stations in a dedicated experiential zone. The event features exclusive dialogue sessions where aviation professionals share their inspiring career journeys, alongside a recruitment fair where 16 leading employers are conducting on-site interviews to fill more than 1,500 job vacancies. Job seekers can also benefit from personalised career coaching and guidance services at the event (see Annex C for details of OAC 2025).

6          Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS, said, “The International Air Transport Association (IATA) projects global air passenger demand to double over the next twenty years. As a premier air hub, Singapore is well-placed to capture this growth. To meet demand, we are investing in Changi Airport Terminal 5 and will operate the new terminal for decades to come, after it completes in the mid-2030s. As we grow, the Singapore aviation sector will provide new and exciting career opportunities for Singaporeans, now, and in the future. The Aviation Jobs Transformation Report, the various collaboration agreements we signed and the new $200 million OneAviation Manpower Fund CAAS set up will give a big boost to Singapore’s aviation manpower development efforts. It is testament to our shared tripartite commitment to build a skilled workforce to secure our long-term competitiveness and resilience and to ensure that growth translates to enabling opportunities for Singaporeans.”   

7          Ms Dilys Boey, Chief Executive of WSG, said, “The aviation sector stands at the forefront of technological advancement and economic transformation. The Aviation Jobs Transformation Report reveals exciting opportunities across the sector, both present and future. To thrive in this dynamic landscape, employers must proactively invest in their workforce's career health through job redesign, career planning and skills development as individuals take charge of their career journeys. Together with our OneAviation tripartite partners, WSG is committed to supporting both employers and individuals in navigating this transformation. By embracing change and developing our talent, we will strengthen Singapore's position as a leading aviation hub.”

8          Ms Cham Hui Fong, Deputy Secretary-General of NTUC said, “NTUC and our Aerospace and Aviation Cluster of unions are committed to prioritising workers’ job security and skills development through industry and job transformations. The NTUC Company Training Committee (CTC) initiative has been pivotal in supporting ongoing industry and workforce transformation efforts to enhance productivity. CTCs will continue to enable companies to adopt new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, automation and digitalisation; redesign jobs to increase job value; and just as important, to upskill our workforce for these jobs and technologies. We will continue working closely with our OneAviation tripartite partners to ensure that workers across diverse age groups and job roles, including PMEs and older workers, can navigate transitions and seize emerging opportunities as the industry evolves.”

[1] This $200 million is part of the $1 billion announced in March 2025 to catalyse action and partnership in four areas of Connectivity, Infrastructure, Technology, and Manpower over the next five years.

Encl - Aviation Jobs Transformation Report

Annex A - MOU on Aviation Talent Development

Annex B - MOU on Strategic Collaboration in Aviation AI Capability and Talent Development

Annex C - OneAviation Careers & Education Fair (OAC) 2025

About the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
The mission of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is to grow a safe, vibrant air hub and civil aviation system, making a key contribution to Singapore's success. CAAS' roles are to oversee and promote safety in the aviation industry, develop the air hub and aviation industry, provide air navigation services, provide aviation training for human resource development, and contribute to the development of international civil aviation. For more information, visit www.caas.gov.sg.

For media queries, please contact:

Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
Email: caas_corporate_communications@caas.gov.sg 

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