Flying High: Job growth in aviation and aerospace soars amid strong air travel demand

More jobs will be created in the aviation and aerospace sectors in the next eight to 10 years. The job growth is fuelled by strong post-COVID global passenger demand, which was 10.4 per cent in 2024 and is expected to be 8 per cent in 2025, as reported by the International Air Transport Association.

As a premier air hub, Singapore is well-positioned to ride the momentum with a slew of new developments in the aviation and aerospace industries. Both sectors support the robust demand for air travel by providing operations, manufacturing, and engineering services.

On the aviation front, construction has begun on the upcoming Changi Airport Terminal 5, set to launch around the mid-2030s. When ready, the new terminal aims to serve over 150 million passengers annually and improve connectivity to over 200 cities.

The Seletar Aerospace Park is set for expansion in the aerospace sector. A fourth phase planned by 2027 will accommodate Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO), advanced manufacturing, training, and business aviation. Meanwhile, global aerospace powerhouse RTX is also increasing its footprint in Singapore. Its subsidiary, Collins Aerospace, has started constructing a new Seletar Aerospace Park manufacturing facility to double production volumes by 2033.

With many jobs being created in these growing industries, the Aviation Jobs Transformation Report, released on 18 July 2025, is a timely initiative. Jointly created by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Workforce Singapore, the report takes stock of the sector’s current workforce, identifies future trends and develops programmes to help Singaporeans seize future opportunities.

Aviation Sector: Tripartite effort for improved job access and quality

Workers aiming to carve out a career in aviation will find many good opportunities in this growing industry.

According to the Aviation Jobs Transformation Report, the most comprehensive for the sector to date, 31 job functions are critical to day-to-day air hub operations. These jobs include pilots and cabin crew, baggage and cargo handling employees, aircraft engineers, aviation security officers, and in-flight catering chefs. The aviation sector, which employs over 60,000 workers, will need to build a pipeline of professionals supported by technology.

Six technology trends identified in the report, including digitalisation, AI, and robotics, will revolutionise existing jobs and create new ones. These trends are expected to impact up to 30 per cent of the aviation workforce in the next five years.

Like many industries, Singapore will draw on the strength of its tripartite network, which includes the Government, NTUC, and employers to help aviation workers fly higher.

CAAS, one of the report’s publishers, has inked an agreement to partner with nine institutes of higher learning to help young and mid-career Singaporeans gain better access to the industry and seize new opportunities.

The national authority is also rolling out a $200 million fund to attract, develop and grow manpower. Unions, employers, and education partners will work together to design the schemes to support specific manpower requirements.

“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,” said CAAS Director-General Han Kok Juan.

NTUC’s Company Training Committee (CTC) Grant, which provides up to 70 per cent financing for company projects focused on business and workforce transformation, will complement this new manpower fund. Some 480 projects from 330 companies have been supported by the Grant, providing nearly 7,400 workers with wage increases and career advancement. As of March 2024, around 800 aviation and aerospace workers have seen their wages grow by 5 per cent above their annual increment with the Grant’s support. Many have also benefited from career progression plans.

“The NTUC Company Training Committee 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, upskill our workforce for these jobs and technologies,” said NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Cham Hui Fong. She is also the Executive Secretary of the SATS Workers’ Union.

Aerospace Sector: Attracting investments to create jobs

Workers eyeing an aerospace career can look forward to more promising jobs in the sector.

At its upcoming facility in Seletar Aerospace Park, Collins Aerospace plans to form a team of 60 manufacturing engineering staff with deep expertise in a new flexible manufacturing system that processes parts more efficiently. It’s the first of such teams within the company’s global network. This new facility will also utilise other cutting-edge technologies to enhance efficiency and productivity.

At the facility’s groundbreaking session on 15 July 2025, Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong outlined Singapore’s vision to keep the country competitive as an advanced manufacturing hub amid the rise in technologies, like AI and robotics.

He emphasised that Singapore’s goal is to create strong industry ecosystems combining research and development, advanced manufacturing, and skilled talent to attract global companies like Collins.

“By working together between the Government and industry, we can ensure that this investment will continue to create good jobs, deepen local capabilities and uplift our aerospace workforce to be ready for the skills of the future,” Mr Gan said.

Collins, which is unionised under the Singapore Industrial & Services Employees’ Union, also plans to upskill existing workers to prepare them for the new facility.

One such worker is SISEU member Koh Soon Xiong, who started as a Quality Technician. Through building deep hands-on expertise in inspection processes, problem solving and quality systems, he rose the ranks to become a Quality Engineer. Today, he continues to enhance his skillsets by pursuing a company-sponsored aeronautics degree at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Another employee, SISEU member Muhammad Shadiq Md Shah, has taken a leadership route. Beginning as an Engineer, he advanced to a managerial role, leading a team within five years. One of his key contributions as Manufacturing Engineering Manager was to lead a team to successfully repair 13 enclosures deemed unfixable by an external vendor. The effort saved the company nearly S$50,000 and contributed to meeting programme milestones.

Want your company to apply for a CTC Grant to support salary and career progression? Visit NTUC’s Company Training Committee portal to find out more.