Speech - Opening Address by Dr Yek Tiew Ming, Principal of ITE College East, at the Aviation Services Grand Opening Event, on 21 Apr 2023 at ITE College East

Mr S Iswaran,
Minister for Transport and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations

Mr Lee Seow Hiang,
Chief Executive Officer, Changi Airport Group

Mr Leslie Thng,
Chief Executive Officer, Scoot Pte Ltd

Ms Angela Ng, 
Director, Aviation Industry, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore

Distinguished Partners and Guests

ITE Colleagues and our Students

Ladies and Gentlemen

1. It is my pleasure to welcome you to ITE College East, to witness the Opening of the Airport Operations Simulation Training Centre (AOSTC), the signing of 2 MOUs and the launch of new Work-Study Diploma (WSDip) in Customer Experience Management (Aviation).

2. ITE College East is very near to Changi Airport. We look forward to working closely with the Airport community to build  a pool of locally skilled talents. 

3. Over the years, ITE has been training and certifying a strong pool of skilled talents in the different functions of the aviation sector.  We now offer a broad range of aviation courses ranging from:

1. Above-wing courses like Higher Nitec in Passenger Services, the Work-Study Diploma in Security Operations and the new Work-Study Diploma in Customer Experience Management (Aviation); 

2. Below-wing courses like Work-Study Diploma in Airport Operations; as well as,

3. Engineering courses like Work-Study Diploma in Aircraft Cabin Engineering, in Aircraft Engine Maintenance and in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, and not forgetting our Nitec in Aerospace Avionics, in Aerospace Machining Technology and in Aerospace technology to support aerospace Maintenance, Repair and Operations. 

4. Our graduates work in a variety of roles in Changi Airport:

1. As Customer Service Agents - the officers who help you with check-ins when you encounter issues with the automated check-in kiosks; 

2. As Security Officers with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) – safeguarding our borders;

3. As Ground Handlers at the apron – directing aircraft to the designated location, servicing the aircraft, ensuring your cargo or baggage are loaded in a timely and efficient manner, to providing technical ramp services to prepare planes for departure. 

Many are also employed by aerospace companies as technicians and specialists to maintain and repair the aircraft.

5. The Covid-19 pandemic birthed a new perspective to the aviation industry over the past 3 years. ITE stays committed to develop a robust pool of local talents to capitalise  on the growth opportunities in the aviation industry as travel resumes. The hiatus has provided us with the opportunity to re-evaluate the training needs of the industry, review our curriculum and redesign our training facilities.

6. I am happy to share that today, we are launching our state-of-the-art Airport Operations Simulation Training Centre (AOSTC in short) and will introduce a new Work-Study Diploma in Customer Experience Management (Aviation) to equip students and trainees with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the aviation sector.

7. Our new training facility, the AOSTC is specially designed to provide an excellent learning experience in an authentic learning environment for Aviation Services students and trainees on campus. It is equipped with training tools and technology such as :

1. A cross-section of a Boeing 787 fuselage cargo hold; 

2. An airside familiarisation driving simulator that uses virtual reality to provide an immersive behind-the-wheel experience; and 

3. The facility also features a 3D projection mapping of Changi Airport and airside equipment to give students a macro and micro perspective of the airport. 

8. The AOSTC will provide our students and trainees with hands-on experience to handle airport operations. More importantly, it is curated and designed to inculcate safety and sustainability mindsets from the onset of classroom training.

9. Just as the safe take-off and landing of an aircraft relies on the  strong partnership between the pilot and ground crew, ITE also counts on our cherished collaborations with our partners to excel. Today, we are signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Changi Airport Group (CAG) and renewing our partnership with Scoot. Through regular knowledge-sharing sessions and capability development opportunities such as student internships, staff attachments, learning journeys, and industry training projects, ITE staff, students and trainees can look forward to staying updated and relevant with the latest industry trends and practices.

10. In addition, CAG and Scoot will also explore the sponsorship of course medals and book prizes to motivate students and trainees with outstanding performances and achievements. 

11. With the new Work-Study Diploma, the opening of our new training facility and the strong support from our industry partners, we hope to motivate and attract more students to join the aviation sector and help it grow. 

12. On this note, I wish our friends from the aviation industry, our friends from MOT (Ministry of Transport) and CAAS (Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore), distinguished partners, guests, staff and students, an enjoyable morning here at our new Airport Operations Simulation Training Centre. 

13. Thank you.