Making air travel safe CAAS scholar Dalen Tan’s people skills and analytical nature help in his job as an assistant airworthiness manager By Ahmad Osman CIVIL Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) scholar Dalen Tan enjoys talking to people and he is also a careful analyst. These aspects of his personality suit the work he has been doing as an assistant airworthiness manager since June 18 last year. Careful consideration and the ability to learn fast and build up working experience and knowledge of the aviation industry are the key requirements of his job. Mr Tan, 25, and his colleagues develop regulations and policies to ensure that the aviation industry is in line with recognised safety standards. This helps protect the safety of airline passengers and also contributes to a vibrant and thriving aviation industry in Singapore. His team works closely with airlines, maintenance repair, training and other aviation related organisations to understand their concerns. There are times, he notes, when regulations to enhance safety can create restrictions for the stakeholders. “Various interests have to be balanced in the process,” he says. “Careful consideration is always needed. “I enjoy talking to people and I also like to analyse things carefully. That is just one dimension of my personality. “It is really hard to qualify a character, especially since people grow and mature with time. Thus, it is not easy to imagine my personality permanently fitting into any job. “But certainly, I like to think I have the necessary flexibility to take on various roles and perform well in all of them.” After completing his A levels, Mr Tan applied and was successful in getting the CAAS scholarship. He explains that he was looking for an opportunity that could lead to a rewarding and fulfilling career. “The aviation industry was, and still is, extremely promising and it was a major factor in my decision making. Besides, working in Changi Airport, which is a global symbol of excellence, was certainly an interesting thought. “I also thought it would be beneficial to my development if I were to immerse myself in a challenging environment during the early stages of my career to gather some experience. “The CAAS scholarship offered the matching job and grooming opportunities, so it was quite a natural choice.” He did his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan and a master’s in engineering management at Duke University. On his course of studies, he explains: “Engineering is good training for the mind and certainly provides a solid foundation in analysis work. The attraction to aerospace engineering was more to do with my interest in the aviation industry and the hope that one day my education would come in useful.” The master’s in engineering management programme, on the other hand, provided the business knowledge for engineers to understand commercial and strategic interests in the decision-making process. He describes his student days in the US as “the best times of my life so far”. “I met interesting people, had greater awareness of cultures and appreciated the tremendous diversity that I encountered. “And of course, there is always the independence I get being away from home and family.” As part of his scholarship, Mr Tan had to complete at least one vacation internship with the authority for a minimum duration of one month. He served not one, but three vacation internships. He says: “The internships were a useful way for me to obtain institutional knowledge and to understand the culture of the company. It certainly helps a scholar make a better choice on his job preference when he returns to work at CAAS after graduation.” He has been having a fruitful time working as an assistant airworthiness manager. “I am looking forward to the challenges ahead,” he says. “My colleagues are very helpful and made my stay much more pleasant.” Referring to his bond of five-and-a-half years, he adds: “I hope to contribute and accomplish as much as possible within this time. “CAAS is a large organisation and with the recently announced corporatisation, there are more exciting times ahead. “The years ahead look very promising.”