Singapore Aerospace Industry and Aero Career

The aerospace industry, which deals with the engineering sector of the aviation, is booming in Singapore and Singapore Aerospace industry is now serving customers from all over the the globe. The industry achieved a record output of 7.1 billion Singapore Dollars and provided jobs for 19,000 people in 2008. 2009, the output was 5.19 million SGD and Singapore Government forecasts the industry to grow at 10% annually (Projected  growth is US$9.0 billion by 2018).

There are good opportunities for those who would like to have an aerospace career in Singapore. And the job creation in Singapore aerospace must be so good that there is now a dedicated job search site for aerospace insdustry: Aerocareer.sg. Aerocareer.sg is the first Singapore career portal dedicated to aerospace and its supporting industries. Below is from welcome message of Mr Charles Chong, President of Association of Aerospace Industries Singapore (AAIS):

A refresher survey conducted by the AAIS and AeroStrategy in the 3rd quarter of 2009 revealed that about half of aerospace companies are planning to increase hiring in 2010. This figure was only 33 per cent in the initial survey conducted in the 1st quarter of 2009. Salary budgets are also improving, and news of companies reinstating benefits to staff are also circulating. These are encouraging signs that an economic recovery is well on its way. 

Source: Aerocareer.sg

If you are looking for a job in Singapore aerospace industry, you can also regularly check this careerjet.sg for Singapore aerospace job search.

Let me give you some information about Singapore aerospace industry (compiled from Singapore Aerospace Guide 2010/2011). Aerospace industry in Singapore comprises four major categories:

• Research and development
• Manufacturing
• Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO)
• Suppliers for civil air transport and aerospace defence

Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) is the largest market in Singapore's aerospace industry. As  a major MRO hub, Singapore captures 20% of Asia-Pacific market share (4.5 billion SGD). Engine overhaul is the largest driver of MRO spendings and generates over a third of all MRO demand. Line maintenance and component overhaul and repair are the next largest markets.

Engine Strip in Singapore Aero Engine Services Pte. Ltd. SAESL was awarded
as the best employer of 2009 in Singapore.
Source: SAESL

 Aerospace manufacturing sector in Singapore is expected to grow with the US Bilateral Safety Agreement (BASA), which will allow Singapore companies to design and manufacture aerospace products to be used in USA. 

Future prospects of Singapore's aerospace market is bright, The Seletar Aerospace Park (SAP) is planned to be the center piece of the industry. When developed SAP would provide 140 hectares of additional industrial land for Manufacturing, MRO and Training. The engine giant Rolls Royce is building a facility to assembly and test civil aero engines. When built it will be the only such facility outside UK and it will start with the assembly of Boeing 787 engine Trent 1000.

Singapore aerospace industry is facing a shortage of mid-skilled workers to do technical jobs such as aircraft maintenance and repair work (The Straits Times, S-Pass change: A better deal for Singaporeans?). The working conditions in these areas do not appeal to Singaporean a lot even with higher salaries and since the industry is booming and work needs to be done, Aerospace industry in Singapore also provides opportunity to aerospace educated foreigners who would like to work in Singapore.