10 Best Transferable Skills You Learn in the Airline Industry

The airline industry is one of the hardest-hit sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic. With stay-at-home mandates, air transport came to a halt: aeroplanes were grounded and employees left on the brink of losing their jobs.

Some companies, however, took this as an opportunity not only to upgrade their business model but also to help their employees upskill their capacities.

“We came up with the Redbeat Academy, in collaboration with Google, [focusing on] reskilling. It’s a tech academy, [where] we rolled out different programs to reskill people,” AirAsia Senior Lead for Culture and Employee Engagement Achilles Sureen shares to JobStreet Malaysia.

Achilles’ own career is testament to the possibilities reskilling offers. After graduating with an engineering degree, he jumped to the airline industry as a cabin crew member, and finally moved on to lead the Culture and Employee Engagement department, which functions almost like AirAsia’s human resources.

At a time when career paths were facing dead-ends, Achilles’ team crafted ways to upgrade skills. The task was not easy, but they were able to maximise their employees’ transferable skills and provide opportunities to upskill them. “Now they have transitioned into totally different careers,” says Achilles.

What are transferable skills? These are skills that you obtain and develop throughout your career. They are transferable because they allow you to jump to a different career path.

With borders still closed, the entire airline industry can stay afloat by banking on these transferable skills. Here are 10 that you can highlight in plotting your next career move.

10 transferable skills you learn in the airline industry

1.  Tech skills

Those in the air transport industry are some of the most adept at technological advances. Running an aircraft requires the most updated skills. This proves that you can also transition into the tech industry. “We managed to reskill a lot of our cabin crew, pilots, engineers, those in operations, into tech roles,” says Achilles.

2. Interpersonal skills

Members of the cabin crew are great relationship managers. You have top-notch communication skills, are great team players, and can connect with any personality quickly. You work with a new team almost every time you fly and are tasked to pass on information along the line.

3. Adaptability

When you are thrown into almost any situation, you are most likely to adapt. This skill stems from your training in situational awareness, add to that having to cater to different cities and cultures every flight.

4. Leadership

As an airline professional, you do not only adapt but also rise above any difficulty. You are a master of taking charge of the situation. Airline employees are capable leaders because of the initiative you possess; you step up to the plate whenever the need arises. Delegating tasks is another skill that would make you a perfect fit for managerial roles.

5. Crisis management

What is averting a crisis if not managing a rowdy guest, attending to a passenger about to give birth, and staying calm through severe turbulence—all at the same time? Cabin crew members can identify threats quickly, assess the situation, and act swiftly.

6. Time management

A single disruption to the schedule can already affect a flight and its succeeding trips. Everything is timed in your industry—from departure to arrival, from closing the aircraft’s doors to dimming the lights. Plus, you are known to never be late for a flight.

7. Problem-solving skills

An aircraft with 200 passengers? Expect numerous problems to occur, and it is up to you to resolve each one while avoiding escalations. Consider dealing with 200 different personalities and providing the same 200 solutions. Not an easy job, but one you can easily manage.

8. Safety skills

Ensuring the safety and well-being of all those 200 passengers is another feat cabin crew members can be proud of. Who would not want to have someone who has gone through rigorous safety training and passed first-ad exams in their team?

9. Sales

“Sales is a straight-forward role that anyone who’s good in language and communication can pivot into quite fast,” says Achilles. And cabin crew members are not without experience in this field.

One of your responsibilities onboard is duty-free sales. Off the aircraft, you switch to selling the airline’s brand. It is a natural progression to pivot into sales and digitalisation. “We have moved into our digital space a lot. We don’t only sell airline seats. At this time, we sell anything—from groceries to food,” adds Achilles.

10. Social media marketing

Cabin crew members act as brand ambassadors and influencers for their airlines. You create content showcasing the places you go to and the perks of your job, enticing others to avail of the services of the airline. This attention to detail can lead to a social media marketing career. “Why not go into content creation? E-marketing? Digital marketing?” suggests Achilles.

It might take a while before the airline industry completely recovers, so waiting on that can be futile. “Be less reactive, and be more proactive,” suggests Achilles. Review your skills, and identify which are transferable and can be upskilled. And you shouldn’t lose hope. “There are a lot of new jobs coming up,” he adds.

Create or update your JobStreet profile to reflect your transferable skills. Find the perfect opportunities by searching for #JobsThatMatter on the website and via the app. Get more career advice by visiting the Career Resources page and the COVID-19 Jobs and Resources Hub.

At JobStreet, we believe in bringing you #JobsThatMatter. As a Career Partner, we are committed to helping all jobseekers find passion and purpose in every career choice. And as the number 1 Talent Partner in Asia, we connect employers with the right candidates who truly make a positive and lasting impact on the organisation.

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