- Over 400 stakeholders gather at inaugural training symposium to develop solutions for world’s fastest-growing aviation market.
SINGAPORE / CANADA – Critical aviation skills shortages across the Asia-Pacific region are threatening the sustainable growth of the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, prompting the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) to launch a coordinated regional response through the inaugural ICAO Asia-Pacific Regional Training Symposium.
The two-day symposium was officially opened on 16 July 2025 in Singapore by Sun Xueling, Singapore’s senior minister of state for transport and national development, and Juan Carlos Salazar, ICAO secretary general.
“Singapore’s partnership with ICAO to deliver this symposium has enabled us to bring together the Asia-Pacific aviation community to address shared training challenges and opportunities,” said Juan Carlos Salazar, ICAO secretary general. ” Through strengthened regional cooperation and innovative capacity-building initiatives like our Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Scholarship Programme, we are building the skilled workforce that aviation needs for its sustainable future. The commitment demonstrated by all stakeholders here today gives me great confidence in our success.”
“Singapore believes strongly in investing in the next generation of aviation professionals and nurturing young talent,” said Han Kok Juan, director-general of CAAS. “We are honoured to work with the International Civil Aviation Organization to host the first-ever regional training symposium. We are involving young people from around the region in this high-level aviation week with government and industry leaders and hope that they will be inspired to contribute to aviation in their respective countries.”
The Symposium is a key initiative under the ICAO Asia-Pacific Regional Training Cooperation Framework (RTCF), established in 2024 to enhance cooperation among civil aviation authorities, civil aviation training academies and industry in the Asia-Pacific region. Themed “Enhancing Training Cooperation: Building Human Capital for the Sustainable Development of Civil Aviation,” the symposium serves as a strategic platform for stakeholders to come together, foster partnerships and explore innovative approaches to aviation training, filling a longstanding gap in regional stakeholder collaboration.
Over the two days, industry experts and stakeholders comprising aviation leaders, academics, training experts, human resource practitioners, industry partners and youths gathered to align training programmes with emerging industry needs, strengthen policies to better support the aviation workforce, and implement targeted solutions to bridge the regional skills gap. The symposium also featured cutting-edge advancements in aviation training, including the adoption of artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and advanced simulation technologies to enhance operational training and training effectiveness.
