Speech by Acting Minister For Transport, Mr Chee Hong Tat at the Women in Aviation International (WAI) Singapore Chapter Gala Dinner

Good Evening WAI SG President Marie-Louise, 
DG CAAS Kok Juan,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

1.     Thank you for inviting me to tonight’s gala dinner – I am honoured to be here to celebrate women in Singapore’s aviation sector. It is heartening to see so many women in the audience today, who are valuable contributors to our aviation and aerospace sectors. 

2.     When WAI launched its Singapore chapter 2 years ago, it was a tumultuous time for aviation. We braced through a pandemic that decimated our sector and rallied together as One Changi community to bounce back and rebuild our air hub. I am glad the worst period is over, and we are now looking ahead to rebound and further grow Changi as an air hub.

Creating Opportunities for our Workforce

3.     The future of aviation is bright and opportunities abound. Our sector will continue to grow and transform.

4.     We have completed the expansion of Terminal 2, which will increase Changi’s overall capacity to 90 million passengers per annum. Construction on the new Terminal 5 will begin in 2025, to further enhance Changi’s capacity ahead of the strong travel demand expected in the coming decades. We are also looking at how we can enhance the efficiency of our airport operations by tapping on new technologies such as automation or biometric processing and pursuing innovations in new growth areas like unmanned systems.

5.     While we are establishing the infrastructure and capabilities for the future air hub, we are also putting in place the building blocks to transform Changi into a sustainable air hub. Sustainability will be a key priority for global aviation in the years ahead, and Singapore will do our part. 

6.     With these upcoming developments, we will create a multitude of new opportunities in our aviation workforce for more Singaporeans to join in our effort to take the Singapore air hub to new heights. We want the aviation sector to continue to provide meaningful jobs and careers for Singaporeans, both men and women, for many decades.

7.     In tandem with these developments, we must also train our workforce and equip our workers with the skills to benefit from the new opportunities; to be future-ready and resilient. We are working with employers and unions to continue to invest in upskilling and reskilling our workers, to ensure that they are equipped with up-to-date skills to succeed and contribute meaningfully as we transform our operating environment and introduce new technologies. This is a key priority in the Air Transport Industry Transformation Map 2025 that I had launched in August this year. 

8.     We must simultaneously attract new talents into our sector. I was glad to see WAI at the OneAviation Careers fair earlier this year, with many female aviation professionals inspiring the ladies who came to the event with their drive and passion for aviation. 

9.     I am also heartened to hear that WAI will be organising the next Girls in Aviation Day on 21st October. CAAS and WAI have partnered to reach out to the Girl Guides association to bring some of their members to the event, to leverage their network to generate greater awareness of the opportunities in aviation. 

10.    I understand that WAI will also be working with the local and international aviation and aerospace educational institutions and universities to launch a scholarship programme for women. I commend WAI for this meaningful effort and hope that many of you will support this initiative. 

Care for our Workforce

11.    Our people are the most important resource at Changi and therefore we must also care for our people. Our strong tripartite relationship has enabled us to keep the safety and well-being of our people at the centre of everything we do.

12.    Over the past two years, as air travel has rebounded, there were naturally stress points. Through close communication between our tripartite partners, we have always prioritised and will continue to prioritise the safety of our workers.

13.    We are also concerned about the well-being of our workers. I have thus initiated conversations with NTUC and the aviation unions to hear their feedback. With this, the Government can also engage companies to look for outcomes that not only grow our air hub, but also take care of the welfare of our workers.

14.    Organisations like WAI also have an important role to play as our workers can care for one another too. You create invaluable networks to support your members. Many of you are leaders in your field, and deeply passionate about aviation. These networks reinforce the sense of community amidst a changing world, and help to make our workforce more diverse and inclusive. 

15.    For example, I was happy to hear that WAI SG raised funds for a Mentorship Programme to support women in pursuing their aspirations in top management ranks in aerospace companies in Singapore. In total, $102,700 was raised to train up to 100 mentees and 50 mentors by 2024. The relationships that will be established through this programme, and the insights that will be shared, will go a long way towards developing a strong pipeline of women leaders in aviation. 

Celebrating our Workforce

16.    It is important for us to celebrate the achievements of our workforce that have brought us this far, to be in a position where we can dream to soar higher. Today, I want to recognise and acknowledge the contributions of women in our sector.

17.    Women are involved in Singapore aviation in various capacities – in airlines, ground handling services, air navigation services, regulation, engineering, cargo, just to name a few. They form a critical part of our workforce, with many taking on leadership positions. I would like to share the stories of three such women with rich and fulfilling careers in Singapore aviation. 

18.    Ms Suriyani is a baggage officer in SATS, which is a corporate member of WAI SG. She is part of the team that works on digitalizing the baggage handling processes at the airside in Changi. In fact, she is the first in SATS to be cross-trained as a tele-operator for autonomous vehicles. Her work with CAAS & CAG on the AV trials in Changi is helping to transform the way baggage is handled in Changi Airport. She is a testament to someone who is adaptable and game to take on new challenges. Thank you, Suriyani, for your contributions!

19.    Another example of a talented woman is Ms Michelle Low. Michelle currently serves as WAI’s Mentorship Committee Chair. She was in CAAS for 7 years, and has accumulated a breadth of experience from aviation safety to air navigation services policy. Michelle also took on a secondment to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), learning from the work it does in promoting safe air operations and bringing this knowledge back to Singapore. She is now with Boeing as a Senior Regulatory Affairs Engineer and Senior Programme Manager for Southeast Asia. As a female leader in aviation, she is also helping other women pursue their passion in aviation through the WAI mentorship programme. Thank you, Michelle, for inspiring our next generation of female aviation professionals. 

20.    I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate Ms Tan Siew Huay, who became the first woman from Asia to receive the Flight Safety Foundation’s Gloria Heath Trophy in July this year. This award recognises women with notable achievements in civil aviation, and in particular, lauds Siew Huay’s leadership on the international stage and for advancing aviation law. The award is testament to Siew Huay’s passion and dedication, and a recognition of her contribution on the global stage. Congratulations, Siew Huay!

21.    The achievements of Suryani, Michelle and Siew Huay inspire us to continue to dream big and to pursue our passions, and through lots of hard work and determination, to write a new chapter of the Singapore aviation story. 

Conclusion

22.    In closing, I extend my congratulations and best wishes to WAI, and hope it will continue with the good work it has been doing. 

a.     As we put the pandemic behind us and look ahead to grow and transform our sector, we are creating exciting new opportunities and preparing our workforce to make the most of these. 

b.     We must always care for our people and keep them safe and healthy, because every worker matters. We also want to help our workers to maximise their contributions, because we believe that each and every person can make a difference. 

c.     Finally, I thank WAI for organising this gala dinner today to celebrate the women in our aviation workforce, and for providing a platform for them to connect and engage with one another, whilst inspiring the next generation of women aviation professionals. 

23.    I am confident that WAI’s work will continue to empower women to excel in our workforce, and inspire more ladies to join our sector. These will enable our Singapore aviation sector to soar to greater heights and towards brighter skies. Thank you!