NTUC Club, SATS, and the Air Transport Executive Staff Union (AESU) have come together in partnership to expose youths early to the aviation industry in Singapore with a stream of focused Work-Ready programmes and opportunities.
In addition to benefiting from networking and industry dialogues, students will also get to go on learning journeys and internships.
The partners signed a three-year agreement on 8 April 2021.
NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng, who was guest of honour at the signing, said: “In NTUC we believe that it is important to engage our youths before they enter the workforce. We believe that we can provide them with the opportunities to gain exposure so that they can make more informed career choices especially in sectors where we believe there are good jobs. The aviation sector is a critical one for Singapore, especially once we emerge out of COVID-19.
“It is important for us to build a pool of strong local talent for the sector, which is why this initiative is key and timely as we align our efforts to support our youths in their learning journeys. This collaboration is just the start of more to come, as we continue to onboard more unions and unionised companies in the various industries.”
NTUC's youth membership arm nEbO launched its Headstart programme in July 2020. The Work-Ready programme is a structured developmental programme comprising four main components – internships, workshops, dialogue sessions, and learning journeys.
To date, the programme has seen over 1,000 students from NUS, NTU, SIM, Temasek and Republic Polytechnics, as well as various private institutions benefitting from the programme.
“I am currently studying in SIT, doing a Bachelors of Science in Air Transport Management. After I graduate, I would like to work in the aviation industry as an air traffic controller or other flight-related areas. I am glad that the Headstart programme provided a good platform for me to gain exposure into the industry, and I’m looking forward to the dialogue session later,” said 21-year-old Marianne Lee.
Meanwhile, SATS and AESU will offer student internship placements and learning journeys that will allow youths to gain real knowledge of the aviation industry. This is amongst other initiatives like industry dialogue sessions and work exposure opportunities, which aim to extend the students’ exposure to the aviation industry.
“Air travel services must change dynamically to meet the new hygiene and sustainability expectations of travellers. SATS is developing industry 4.0 digital and technology capabilities as we help the industry move towards this future vision.
“SATS Academy offers a comprehensive, world-class curriculum that sets new standards for the aviation services industry. We are pleased to open up learning opportunities at SATS Academy to young talents to strengthen the skills of our Singaporean core,” said SATS CEO Alex Hungate.
