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FEATURE SINGAPORE AVIATION

firms such as GE Aviation Singapore, SIA four to five years is one reason candidates for us, with over US$5 billion in new orders
Engineering Company (SIAEC) and ST are hard to find. To tackle this issue, the received in 2011 from customers in Asia,”
Engineering are all participating in the AAIS is working with the Civil Aviation says Paul O’Neil, director of Rolls-Royce’s
initiative. And a new 10.6-hectare Institute Authority of Singapore and institutes of Seletar Campus in Singapore.
of Technical Education Central campus will higher learning to revise the curriculum Rolls-Royce says it – along with joint
be opened in January 2013 to offer courses and boost numbers. ventures Singapore Aero Engine Services
and training in aerospace engineering. “There may be a need to look at and International Engine Component
Participants in the IPP initiative so far alternative labour pools. This can include Overhaul – accounts for over 15% of
include heavy hitters like EADS Innovation reskilling workers in other industries Singapore’s aerospace output, with its
Works (IW), which established its first to be aerospace technicians,” he adds. value-added contribution expected to rise
non-European research and technology “Improving productivity through innovation to 0.5% of GDP in 2015, up from 0.3%.
(R&T) centre in Singapore. The IW and skills upgrading is definitely
centre focuses its activities on three something we are looking at, to sustain Making it work
key domains: MRO, energy and security. Singapore as a competitive business Although its new US$700 million facility
Under the IPP, IW Singapore has PhD location,” says an EDB spokesperson. at Seletar is probably the highest-profile
students from Nanyang Technological “We want to help aerospace companies to engineering operation at the moment,
University, National University of expand their footprint in the fast-growing with its manufacturing, research and
Singapore and Singapore Management Asia Pacific region. “ training capabilities and a plan for over
University working on industrial-oriented Indeed, according to the EDB, ongoing 1,000 employees by 2016, many others are
research whilst being employed by EADS. strategy articulates a future vision that chipping in to make Singapore the place to
Another major European operator, positions the whole industry for the go for MRO work. Products manufactured
Thales, has established an R&T centre future. It looks not just at improving the and serviced in Singapore now extend to
for technologies with military and civil bottom line, but also to growing the top auxiliary power units, engine casings,
applications. One of only four Thales line through establishing and deepening engine gears, valves, electrical power
corporate R&T centres in the world, and strategic activities to drive business, systems and galley equipment.
the first outside Western Europe, this innovation and talent in Asia and globally. “Next year, more new facilities will
facility started taking PhD students on “Asia is an increasingly important region be established in Singapore,” says Lim
board last year.
Even so, more than 375 engineers,
2,600 technicians and 700 licensed aircraft
engineers and inspectors, and over 6,300 BLuE OCEAN THINkINg
more employees will be needed to meet One innovative approach to productivity in the highly competitive aerospace
sector is being used by SIA Engineering Company, or SIAEC. The method is
local manpower needs between now and the use of technology leverage, in the form of wireless Bluetooth headsets for
2015, according to the Association of its ground handling crew. Thanks partly to funding assistance from the Civil
Aerospace Industries Singapore (AAIS). In Aviation Authority of Singapore in April 2011, this has resulted in a 33% gain in
particular, the industry faces a shortage productivity with a knock-on effect on customer experience and more on-time
of technicians, notes Aloysius Tay, CEO, aircraft departures as a result.
AAIS. He says the long training period of
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