In March, Mr Muhammad Khalid Azmi had been a trainee aircraft technician at Singapore Aero Engine Services for a few months when the Covid-19 pandemic led to a drastic plunge in demand for air travel.

"Initially, I was worried because I thought that in this situation, the new staff would be retrenched first," said the 25-year-old.

But his fears for his job have since been eased. He said the company's chief executive had been giving regular updates on how it was doing, such as how it expects continued demand for its products. That served to reassure him.

Mr Khalid, who is not married, received further reassurance yesterday after an enhanced training support package was extended to the aerospace sector. The package gives aerospace workers access to more than 13,000 training places with higher subsidies.

Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said it is vital for the sector to retain workers, given the specialised skills they possess.

Mr Khalid said: "It is assuring because you know the Government is investing in and supporting us, and we would like to give back in terms of our effort."

Mr Khalid, who completed his traineeship in July, has also been attending online training courses provided by his company. He now looks forward to tapping the training support package to further upgrade himself.