SINGAPORE - There was no lack of options for job seekers attending an aviation career fair at Suntec City Convention Centre on Friday, with positions ranging from airport emergency officer to aerospace technician being offered.
More than 20 employers held walk-in interviews and took in applications for more than 1,700 vacancies as part of the OneAviation Careers fair, which returned after an inaugural run in 2022 drew more than 11,000 people.
The 2023 fair, which ends on Saturday, occupies double the floor space of the first edition.
Organised by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, National Trades Union Congress, Employment and Employability Institute, and Workforce Singapore, the 2023 edition has 39 exhibitors comprising key players across the aviation sector – nearly double the 21 exhibitors in 2022.
New elements include an area featuring the educational programmes and skills-upgrading opportunities for those seeking an aviation career.
Ms Rachel Goh, who will graduate from the Singapore Institute of Technology with an air transport management degree in October, said she attended the fair to broaden her horizons and find out about the options available in the industry.
“We were able to speak to people in other roles, not specifically in recruitment, so we were able to understand what their work is like on a day-to-day basis, and get a gist of what the culture is like in the company,” she said.
Another job seeker, who wanted to be known only as Mr Yang, 56, said he was recently retrenched from his job in the manufacturing sector and visited the fair to look for new work.
“In the aviation industry, there are also roles in machinery manufacturing,” he said in Mandarin.
Ground handler Sats, which has a booth at the fair, said it is looking to hire more than 400 workers in various roles, including customer service and aviation catering.
While the company had restarted recruitment before passenger traffic rebounded, its headcount of about 15,690 employees as at March was still below pre-pandemic levels.
Airport operator Changi Airport Group (CAG) said it has about 2,000 employees, which is near its pre-Covid-19 staff strength.
While it is on the lookout for more aviation professionals, it is also searching for talent in areas such as robotics, data science and marketing technology.
Right now, its online job portal has about 90 roles in artificial intelligence, engineering and airport operations.
Ms Justina Tan, CAG’s executive vice-president for corporate, people and culture, said: “We want to reshape perceptions. Changi Airport is more than just an airport – there are many opportunities to work on innovative projects and initiatives.”
