Latest news with #HanKokJuan
Business Times
18-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
More training courses, S$200 million fund among moves to boost Singapore's aviation manpower
[SINGAPORE] More aviation-related courses and a new S$200 million fund are among efforts to boost Singapore's aviation talent pipeline, in line with a new report on the sector's manpower needs. The announcements came alongside the report's release at the OneAviation Careers and Education fair on Friday (Jul 18). Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) director-general Han Kok Juan said: 'The Aviation Jobs Transformation Report, the various collaboration agreements we signed and the new S$200 million OneAviation Manpower Fund CAAS set up will give a big boost to Singapore's aviation manpower development efforts.' More aviation-related courses and specialisations are to come under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between CAAS and nine institutes of higher learning. CAAS will work with the institutions to grow education capabilities and programmes; develop and expand courses and specialisations; and improve awareness of career opportunities through fairs and scholarships. The partners are the Institute of Technical Education; five polytechnics – Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic; and three universities – Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore University of Social Sciences and Singapore University of Technology and Design. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up Trends to change aviation jobs Strengthening cooperation between the industry and educational institutions is one of the recommendations in the report, which is a study of Singapore's air-hub workforce released on Friday by CAAS and Workforce Singapore. Resulting from a year-long study involving over 200 companies, it assesses trends that affect jobs and skills in the sector, and sets out plans for workforce development. Besides industry-education partnerships, the sector will also accelerate investment in technology, with CAAS to work with industry, unions and the research community on a multi-year technology road map. Under a separate MOU signed on Friday, CAAS will also work with AI Singapore, Changi Airport Group, Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Sats to develop the industry's artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and talent, and create a long-term plan for AI development in aviation. A third area is providing targeted support for workers through companies, with the establishment of the new S$200 million OneAviation Manpower Fund. Part of the additional S$1 billion set aside in Budget 2025 for the development of Changi air hub, this fund will support efforts to attract, develop and retain aviation workers. Future trends The sector 'is expected to grow robustly over the next few decades, including with the opening of Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 5 in the mid-2030s', noted CAAS in a media statement. Angela Ng, director for the aviation industry at CAAS, said: 'We expect the Singapore aviation workforce to grow in tandem with air travel demand, especially with the opening of the new Changi Airport Terminal Five (T5) in (the) mid-2030s. Over the next five years, we will seek to attract more Singaporeans into the aviation sector. 'The actual number needed for when T5 opens will be determined in the early 2030s to take into account the operating environment then.' The largest share – 18,000 workers or 30 per cent – work for local carriers SIA and Scoot. Most are in-flight operations roles, including pilots and cabin crew, with ground-based occupations including flight operations and ground services. This is followed by ground handling, with around 14,000 jobs or 24 per cent. These comprise passenger services such as check-in and boarding, in-flight catering, as well as 'below-wing' jobs, such as baggage handling and aircraft marshalling. The other areas are: Airport operations and services: 10,000 jobs or 16 per cent Aircraft maintenance: 6,000 jobs or 10 per cent Non-domestic airlines and cargo: 5,000 jobs or 8 per cent Security: 4,000 jobs or 7 per cent Government services: 3,000 jobs or 5 per cent. But major trends mean that around 29 per cent of the sector's jobs may need moderate to extensive adjustments, said the report. It identified six trends across the next five years: automation, AI, digitalisation, changing consumer and workforce preferences and sustainability. Workers in affected roles will need reskilling or upskilling, said the report. One example is baggage transportation, which may be carried out by autonomous vehicles in the future. This creates a new role for supervising such autonomous fleets, while current baggage vehicle drivers can take on safety-related tasks instead.
Business Times
17-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Asia-Pacific regulators release world's first guidelines for commercial operation of air taxis, drones
[SINGAPORE] Asia-Pacific aviation regulators have published the world's first set of guidelines on air taxis and drones, anticipating future commercial operation of these vehicles in the region. Regulators can voluntarily adopt the guidelines, which will also be submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organization to be adopted as a global standard. The guidelines were released on Monday (Jul 14) at the second meeting of Apac regulators on advanced air mobility (AAM) and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), spearheaded by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). AAM is a new type of aviation characterised by compact aircraft designed for shorter-range travel, including air taxis. Many of these are electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) craft, being developed by startups such as Archer Aviation and Volocopter. CAAS director-general Han Kok Juan said: 'The Asia-Pacific region will be a major market for AAM, which will transform the way people work, move and live and be another engine of economic growth.' The launch of the guidelines 'is a significant step forward to more widespread use of drones and making air taxi operations a reality', he added. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Known as reference materials, the guidelines are a starting point for formal regulations regarding the new technologies. Regulators can use or adapt the materials to prepare for and facilitate commercial operations of air taxis and drones. The materials also aim to raise awareness of these technologies and regulatory approaches, as well as considerations when integrating eVTOLs and more complex UAS operations into existing aviation regulations. Representatives of 20 countries and 21 AAM companies and organisations discussed plans for the launch of air taxi operations and expanded uses of drones in the next five years, as well as cooperation on such operations. PHOTO: CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE They were created by 24 states and administrations, led by China, the Cook Islands, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Incorporating industry feedback, the guidelines include safety targets for eVTOL operations, industry standards and compliance. They will be updated regularly, in line with the fast-paced development of AAM and UAS technology. The meeting was attended by representatives of 20 countries and 21 AAM companies and organisations, who discussed plans for the launch of air taxi operations and expanded uses of drones in the next five years, as well as cooperation on such operations. It was part of High-Level Aviation Week, which runs from Jul 14 to 19, where government and industry leaders gather in Singapore for discussions. The event was also marked by the debut of a regional sustainability centre for aviation. The first meeting of Apac regulators on AAM took place in November 2023, during which the development of the reference materials was mooted by CAAS.
Asia News Network
11-07-2025
- Business
- Asia News Network
Singapore launches centre to drive sustainable aviation in Asia-Pacific
SINGAPORE – A new regional centre that will research and facilitate collaboration and training for sustainable aviation for the Asia-Pacific was launched here on July 10. The Asia-Pacific Sustainable Aviation Centre, set up by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), aims to help the region balance economic development and sustainability goals. The not-for-profit centre will help to advance sustainable aviation in a pragmatic way, through policy research in areas such as cleaner aviation fuels, carbon accounting and carbon market development. It will also facilitate collaboration across governments, industry partners and academia to tap their expertise and resources for joint sustainable aviation projects. Additionally, the centre will help boost technical assistance and training of workers in sustainable aviation policy development and execution among governments and companies. Mr Han Kok Juan, director-general of CAAS, told reporters the centre will 'provide individual states (with) a menu of policy options and instruments to advance their sustainability goals, taking into account their respective national circumstances'. This is the first such centre in the world that undertakes policy research and capacity building with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region, added Mr Han, who chairs the centre's board. He said the centre is being set up because air travel demand in the Asia-Pacific is expected to grow strongly and triple over the next 20 years. As these states are also committed to supporting net-zero carbon emissions, they would need a way to ensure growth while fulfilling sustainability goals, he added. An advisory council comprising senior executives from partners in the aviation, energy and green financing sectors will guide the centre in its work, CAAS said in a statement on July 10. The partners include aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing, energy firms Chevron, ExxonMobil and Neste, as well as Singapore-based investment platform GenZero and global airline body International Air Transport Association (Iata). The council will be in charge of evaluating the benefits of project ideas and providing experts to handle training or contribute to research, said Mr Han. Mr Philip Goh, an airline industry veteran of close to four decades, is the founding chief executive officer of the centre. He was formerly regional vice-president of the Asia-Pacific at Iata, and also regional vice-president for both South-east Asia and the South West Pacific at Singapore Airlines. He said he will build a team of up to 10 people over the next 1½ years to helm the centre. CAAS said the centre will engage states and civil aviation authorities in the region to find out their needs, to understand how to support them. It will then develop joint projects and carry out trials for sustainable aviation policies, as well as curate training programmes for aviation professionals. Mr Han said the centre's operating costs – including staffing and infrastructure – will be fully funded by CAAS. A location for the centre has not been found yet, but he said it is unlikely to be situated within the airport. On the philosophy behind the launch of the centre, Mr Han said: 'We have a keen eye on the future and we take a long-term view to plan for not just the current generation but also the future generation. At the same time, we take pragmatic steps in the short term. 'We believe that for such a major endeavour, we can't do it alone. We have to do it together, and that is why (there is) collaboration (through this centre).' The Asia-Pacific Sustainable Aviation Centre and its advisory council partners will sign an agreement to formalise their collaboration at the Global Aviation and Maritime Symposium on the morning of July 14. The centre's first major engagement with states in the region will take place the same day, when it will convene a roundtable with Mr Juan Carlos Salazar, secretary-general of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, and over 20 directors-general of civil aviation from the region. The symposium will mark the start of the High-Level Aviation Week programme that will run from July 14 to 19, where government and industry leaders will gather in Singapore for discussions. Seven events will take place over the course of the week, including a meeting on the regulations for advanced air mobility – which includes air taxis and drones – and an aviation safety summit.
Business Times
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Singapore sets up centre to advance sustainable aviation in Apac
[SINGAPORE] The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has set up the Asia Pacific Sustainable Aviation Centre (APSAC), to advance sustainable aviation in the region through policy research, facilitating collaboration and capacity-building. Its board will be chaired by CAAS director-general Han Kok Juan, while its founding CEO will be Philip Goh, airline industry veteran and former regional vice-president for Apac at the International Air Transport Association (Iata), said CAAS on Thursday (Jul 10). Han noted that Apac's air travel demand is expected to treble over the next 20 years, 'enabling tremendous economic development and supporting the aspirations of a rising middle class'. At the same time, Apac states are committed to tackling climate change, which will support aviation's global net-zero emission goals. 'Asia-Pacific states want both growth and sustainability, not one at the expense of the other,' he said. APSAC thus aims to provide 'a menu of policy options and instruments' for countries to achieve sustainability goals while accounting for their own circumstances. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The centre will advance sustainable aviation in three key ways. Firstly, it will carry out policy research in areas such as cleaner fuels, carbon accounting and carbon market development, as well as green financing. Another potential area is the economics of sustainable aviation fuel supply chains. Secondly, it will facilitate collaboration across government, industry and academia, for joint studies and projects. Finally, it will support capacity building by governments and companies, through offering technical assistance and training. For a start, the centre will launch a five-day foundational course on growing aviation sustainably, with topics such as challenges and opportunities in sustainable aviation fuel, and airline and airport sustainability management. It aims to hold the first run in November 2025 or early 2026. The industry lacks courses on understanding sustainable aviation issues from an ecosystem perspective, said Goh. 'So our very first course will be targeted at that: equipping people with that kind of broad-based (knowledge), so that they can connect what affects what, and how it all works in the end.' He expects this course to run three to four times a year from 2026. APSAC will also plan courses to meet needs identified in regional engagements, he added, and will look at holding country-specific workshops when it has the resources. The centre will build a team of up to 10 people in the next year or year-and-a-half. While ASPEC identifies courses to offer and develops their curriculum, it will tap its network of industry experts to provide content and facilitate. Here, APSAC will lean on an advisory council of key partners in aviation, energy and green financing – comprising senior executives from Airbus, Boeing, Chevron, ExxonMobil, GenZero, Iata and Neste – for guidance. To formalise this, the council partners, CAAS and APSAC will sign a memorandum of understanding on Jul 14 at the Global Aviation and Maritime Symposium. On the same day, CAAS and APSAC will engage the directors-general of Apac civil aviation authorities of more than 20 states in a roundtable, to understand their sustainable aviation plans and how the centre can support them. First High-Level Aviation Week The Roundtable on Advancing Sustainable Aviation is one of seven events in the inaugural High-Level Aviation Week. Held by CAAS from Jul 14 to 19, it will bring together governments and industry leaders to discuss the future of aviation. 'It is a response to the fundamental changes to the global operating environment and its impact on global aviation, and the need for us to come together to ... formulate strategies that are joined up across domains and across countries,' said Han. Besides sustainable aviation, there will be events on shaping the future of aviation; facilitating advanced air mobility (air taxis and drones); ensuring aviation safety; and building a quality workforce and enabling opportunities. There will also be a dedicated meeting of Pacific small island states, looking at how they can collaborate.
Straits Times
10-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
New regional centre for sustainable aviation in Asia-Pacific launched in Singapore
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The centre is aimed at helping the region balance economic development and sustainability goals. SINGAPORE – A new regional centre that will research and facilitate collaboration and training for sustainable aviation for Asia-Pacific was launched here on July 10. Set up by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), the Asia-Pacific Sustainable Aviation Centre is aimed at helping the region balance economic development and sustainability goals. Speaking to reporters at a media briefing on July 10 at the CAAS office in Changi Airport, Mr Han Kok Juan, director-general of CAAS, said the centre will address how states can achieve both economic growth and environmental sustainability in aviation. He added that it will 'provide individual states (with) a menu of policy options and instruments to advance their sustainability goals, taking into account their respective national circumstances'. Mr Han said it is the first such centre in the world that undertakes policy research and capacity building with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region. He noted that the centre is being set up because air travel demand in the Asia-Pacific is expected to grow strongly and triple over the next 20 years. As these states are also committed to supporting net-zero carbon emissions, they would need a way to ensure growth while fulfilling sustainability goals, he added. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business S'pore to launch new grant for companies, expand support for workers amid US tariff uncertainties Singapore HDB flats less attainable in 2024 compared with 2022: Report Singapore PAP appoints new heads of backbench parliamentary committees Sport No pain, no gain for Singapore's water polo teams at the world championships World 'Do some homework': 6 key exchanges between US Senator Duckworth and S'pore envoy nominee Sinha World Trump's ambassador nominee to Singapore Anjani Sinha has a rough day at Senate hearing Multimedia 60 objects to mark SG60: Which is your favourite? Business Fresh grads should 'stay calm' in job search; uptick in hiring seen: Tan See Leng An advisory council, comprising senior executives from partners in the aviation, energy and green financing sectors, will guide the centre in its work, said CAAS in a press statement on July 1 0. The partners include aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing, energy firms Chevron, ExxonMobil and Neste , as well as Singapore-based investment platform GenZero and global airlines body International Air Transport Association (Iata). The council will be in charge of evaluating the benefits of project ideas and providing experts to handle training or contribute to research, said Mr Han, who will be chairing the centre to oversee its strategic direction. Mr Philip Goh, an airline industry veteran of close to four decades, is the founding chief executive officer of the centre. He was formerly the regional vice-president of Asia-Pacific at Iata, and was also regional vice-president for both South-east Asia and South-west Pacific at Singapore Airlines. CAAS said the centre will help to advance sustainable aviation in a pragmatic way, through carrying out policy research in areas such as cleaner aviation fuels, carbon accounting and carbon market development. It will also facilitate collaboration across governments, industry partners and academia to tap their expertise and resources for joint sustainable aviation projects. Additionally, the centre will help boost technical assistance and training of workers in sustainable aviation policy development and execution among governments and companies, said CAAS. CAAS said the centre will first need to engage states and civil aviation authorities in the region to find out what their needs are, so that it can understand how to support them. Following that, it will develop joint projects and carrying out trials for sustainable aviation policies, as well as curate training programmes for aviation professionals. Mr Han noted that the centre's operating costs – including staffing and infrastructure costs – will be fully funded by CAAS, and it will operate as a not-for-profit organisation . He did not share details on the total costs incurred for the set-up of the centre so far . He added that the centre is still in the process of finding a location for its office , adding that it is unlikely for it to be situated within the airport . Mr Goh added that he will be building a team of up to 10 people over the next 1½ years to helm the centre. On the philosophy behind the launch of the centre, Mr Han said: 'We have a keen eye on the future and we take a long-term view to plan for not just the current generation but also the future generation. At the same time, we take pragmatic steps in the short-term. 'We believe that for such a major endeavour, we can't do it alone. We have to do it together, and that is why (there is) collaboration (through this centre).' The centre's first major engagement with states in the region will take place on July 14 when it will convene a roundtable with M r Juan Carlos Salazar , secretary-general of the International Civil Aviation Organization , and over 20 directors-general of civil aviation from the region. This will come after the signing of an agreement between the Asia-Pacific Sustainable Aviation Centre and its advisory council partners to formalise their collaboration at the Global Aviation and Maritime Symposium on the morning of July 14 . The symposium will mark the start of the High-Level Aviation Week programme that will run from July 14 to 19 , where government and industry leaders will gather in Singapore for discussions. Seven events will take place over the course of the week, including a meeting on the regulations for advanced air mobility – which includes air taxis and drones – and an aviation safety summit.
