SAESL strengthens talent development with two MoUs to build future-ready engine MRO workforce

This press release was issued by Singapore Aero Engine Services Private Limited (SAESL).

• SAESL signs two talent development MoUs at Singapore Airshow 2026 
• Establish a dedicated Training Academy to accelerate training for the future skills of MRO in SAESL 
• Partnership with Singapore Polytechnic to strengthen aerospace talent pipeline

Singapore Aero Engine Services Limited (SAESL) announced that two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) will be signed today at the Singapore Airshow 2026, marking a significant step in strengthening its end-to-end talent development strategy to support long-term growth in engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).

The MoUs, one with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and the other with Singapore Polytechnic (SP), reflect SAESL’s holistic approach to workforce development — spanning early talent pipeline building, applied industry learning, and accelerated in-house capability development through a new SAESL Training Academy.

The two MoUs build on SAESL’s broader S$242 million expansion and transformation programme, which is aimed at strengthening operational capacity, modernising facilities and capabilities, and ensuring sustainable long-term growth. The new partnerships are designed to deepen SAESL’s in-house technical expertise while ensuring a sustainable talent pipeline to support future engine MRO demand.

Building in-house capability through SAESL’s Training Academy

Under the MoU with EDB, SAESL will explore developing a Training Academy designed initially for its workforce, adopting a training model that will support SAESL’s growth plans as it scales capacity to meet Rolls-Royce’s ambition to significantly increase their global MRO capacity by 2030.

Over the next five years, SAESL will be hiring more than 1000 technicians to support its long-term engine deliveries projection.

The initiative also responds to a broader industry-wide challenge of a tightening aerospace MRO talent pipeline, driven by fleet growth and increasing engine complexity. By investing in accelerated, structured training, SAESL aims to help close this skills gap in the future. It also ensures a steady pipeline of job-ready technicians through the development of transferable skills to support both its own expansion and the broader aviation industry.

Once operational, the Academy is expected to significantly increase hands-on engine maintenance capacity and higher technicians’ capability levels.

Strengthening the upstream talent pipeline with Singapore Polytechnic

SAESL will be signing an MoU with SP, establishing a strategic framework for longer-term collaboration focused on strengthening the upstream talent pipeline for aerospace MRO.

The partnership aims to strengthen alignment between SP’s curriculum and real-world MRO requirements, provide early industry exposure for students, and create applied learning opportunities through industry-based projects. Planned initiatives include industry-supported elective modules related to engine MRO, joint final-year projects addressing operational and innovation challenges, and opportunities for student and staff engagement with live MRO environments.

As part of the collaboration, SP’s School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering is expected to be accredited as an authorised training partner for SAESL, supporting qualification, recurrency and upskilling training. The partnership will leverage SP’s continuing education and training (CET) and pre-employment training (PET) programmes, as well as its specialised laboratories and facilities, to extend SAESL’s training capacity while maintaining strong industry relevance.

This MoU sets the foundation for progressive initiatives to be rolled out as part of SAESL’s longer-term workforce and skills transformation roadmap, reinforcing the company’s commitment to building a sustainable, future-ready talent pipeline for advanced and Industry 4.0-enabled MRO.

Together, the two MoUs underscore SAESL’s commitment to investing in people and skills as a strategic enabler of sustainable growth, reinforcing its position as a leading engine MRO provider and a key contributor to Singapore’s aerospace ecosystem.