Page 23 - AAA JULY - AUGUST 2013 Online Magazine

FeATure TrAining

in singApore, According To A on practical experience to make the theories The region is moving
recent report in the CAAS (Civil Aviation reality on a windy day with the clock ticking
Authority of Singapore) newsletter, “there on the aircraft schedule listing. towards globalisation
is still a gap in academic knowledge “The polytechnic courses are academic and adapting to inter-
and technical training and expertise in nature as they provide the necessary national standards
between tertiary-level graduates and basic knowledge for the students to
full-fledged skilled aircraft maintenance progress into more technical learning,”
professionals.” If this is news to you, it said Alan Foo, Division Head (Safety and – Adrien Moreau, AfI KLM E&M
isn’t to the companies offering MRO Policy Licensing) at Singapore’s CAAS sales director, North East Asia
services across the region. in an interview. “From this foundation,
Growth across the region is rapid, with students can … move on to approved
Indonesia alone boasting 4,500 technicians training organisations.” According to
already and expanding by 500 every Foo, it is only at this stage that “they
year, according to Agus Sudaryo, Garuda will undergo more in-depth knowledge
Deputy Director MRO. Sudaryo adds that training in the core aerospace engineering
Indonesian air transport is predicted to see subjects and acquire the necessary hand-
a 15% to 20% jump in passengers in 2015, skills and experience.” Tacit agreement
exacerbating MRO demands. So where are that although the classroom is a great
they coming from? place to learn, hard skills take a little
Singapore, Hong Kong and China are more time to accumulate, especially in the
currently vying to produce the best, most airline industry.
cost-effective and most highly certificated Indeed, it was not that long ago that
training regimes for this demand, with the paper-based certification in the region
companies like Singapore Airlines was not keeping up with the demands of
Engineering Company (SIAEC), Singapore the industry and safety, notes Airbus’ Tom
Technologies Aerospace (ST Aerospace) Anderson, AIRBUS SVP for Services &
and Eurocopter South East Asia (ESEA) all Customer Support.
offering training in Singapore; Shanghai “A few years ago there were questions
Technologies Aerospace (STARCO), about the standards of skill and safety in
TAECO, GAMECO and HAECO working China, but the people there proved the
out of China and VTC in Hong Kong all improvement can be made – they did it.
pushing hard to fill the vacant lockers in Now, a large number of European and OPPOSITE AND ABOVE:
the hangar changing rooms. US aircraft get their maintenance done in The aerospace arm of
Like many other high-tech industries, Asia,” he says. Singapore Technologies
however, the demand for theory-qualified Anderson emphasises that training is has established itself
recruits is matched by the need for hands- a different segment to many others in the firmly in its home soil
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