Channel NewsAsia - 1 hour 34 minutes
ago
SINGAPORE: Asia is fast becoming a global leader in the aviation
industry with Singapore leading the way in the maintenance, repair
and overhaul sector.
And Lufthansa and Temasek Polytechnic are taking advantage of
this growth to open a new technical training facility to groom more
talent.
Over the last decade, Singapore’s aviation industry has grown by
12 per cent with the aerospace industry reporting a record output
of about S$6 billion in 2007.
And that is expected to increase to S$12.6 billion by 2018.
Lufthansa and Temasek Polytechnic have set up a new technical
training centre to meet the growing manpower needs of the
industry.
This would allow existing mechatronics and electronics
engineering students to have the choice to study aircraft
maintenance at the centre as an elective.
A full—time diploma in aircraft maintenance will be rolled out
in 2009.
Lay—Tan Siok Lie, Director of the School of Engineering at
Temasek Polytechnic, said: "We will attach these students to this
centre for a six—month training period. This six—month training is
embedded into the training programme so that when they graduate,
they’ll be able to have a head start in getting the aircraft
maintenance licence after they have fulfilled the on the job
training portion."
The centre also offers more aircraft—type specific courses for
industry professionals to upgrade their skills.
Ralph Kaeding, General Manager of Lufthansa Technical Training,
said: "We believe that we can contribute a lot to Singapore’s
aviation industry, bring our experience and expertise to Singapore
and to the students. And if the students can participate, they can
also contribute something to the MRO industry."
The new centre includes workshops, tool stores and
computer—based training classrooms.
The centre is fully funded by Lufthansa Technical Training and
carries the full range of LTT courses —1500 type courses and 500 in
active rotation.
It’s the first partnership between Lufthansa and an academic
institution in Singapore.
This training centre is the fourth in the region, with other
centres in Manila, Taipei, Hainan, and another partnered tie—up
with Ameco in Beijing.
Lufthansa also intends to develop another training centre in
Seletar. — CNA/vm