Read our series of interviews with the people who are making the Yocova platform come alive. Here we speak to Julie Seah, Manager of Safety, Security and Quality Development at Singapore Airlines. Julie discusses her career in aviation, promoting digital transformation through the COVID-19 pandemic, and how Yocova has been a useful platform to support this.
Julie Seah grew up in Singapore and went on to study Computing and Information Systems at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. After graduating, she returned to Singapore and got her first job at Singapore Airlines. Her career at Singapore Airlines spans almost 17 years and as Manager Safety, Security & Quality Development, she is involved in the airline’s digital initiatives. She completed a post graduate diploma in Human Resources & Talent Management and is currently pursuing a Master’s programme in Digital Leadership
We talk to Julie about her career, the opportunities for digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic and the benefits Yocova brings to her role.
How did you get into aviation?
“After completing my studies, I took my first job at Singapore Airlines. As the national carrier of Singapore, the brand had always appealed to me, so I was really pleased to have been offered my first job there as Flight Operations Training Executive. As I got more experience within the industry, I became increasingly interested in aviation. With some great development opportunities along the way, after almost 17 years, I’m still working at the airline.”
What do you like about working at the airline?
“Singapore Airlines is a great place to work in terms of development and the breadth of experience you can gain here. The airline provides opportunities where you can move to various divisions to learn about the different aspects of airline operations. That’s been really interesting for me. I’ve had five different roles since I joined, so it’s been great to be able to continue to learn and develop over the course of my career.”
What does your current role entail?
“My current role is Manager of Safety Security & Quality Development and I’ve been in this role for the past two and a half years. This was a new department set up to drive safety and security transformation initiatives in line with Singapore International Airlines digital transformation strategy. Setting up the department from scratch was both interesting and challenging. Our team provides systems support and drives IT and digital projects for the division. I’m also involved with some of the company-wide digital transformation projects which is a great experience.”
Was the airline heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?
“Covid has impacted many industries but the aviation industry has been particularly affected. Like other airlines, the travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on us, especially as we do not have a domestic market in Singapore. However, our leadership took decisive measures very early on in terms of cost savings and streamlining our operations. We are also using the opportunity, to push ahead with our digital transformation initiatives and developing staff competencies for a post COVID world.”
What kind of digital initiatives is the airline promoting?
“The airline is very progressive in digital and has invested heavily in terms of customer experience, product innovation and digital technologies. We were the first to trial IATA’s Travel Pass to help travellers store and manage their verified certifications for COVID-19 tests or vaccines. We have also come up with other measures for contactless travel, to support the health and safety of our passengers, staff and crew.”
What benefits have you found from being a Yocova member?
“Yocova has been hugely beneficial for the industry during COVID, with people working remotely in different time zones across the world, unable to meet face-to-face, and the industry facing new and unprecedented challenges. I’ve found it really useful to connect with others in the industry and exchange information, data and ideas. It’s an important information resource that you can access 24/7, and with vendors and service providers on the platform, it acts as a directory to link up with people and providers to explore solutions. I’ve found the Groups and Data Rooms really useful and after setting up a group on the topic of hazards, I went on to work with Yocova to establish a Data Room on that topic.”
Can you elaborate more on the Hazard Group and Data Rooms?
“The Hazard Group was launched with a focus on safety hazards as they are less sensitive than incidents, so it’s a topic that airlines can freely share information on. The idea was to bring together different airlines to share information about hazard trends and issues being experienced in operations. Collaborating in this way enables us to collectively look at those trends and come up with mitigations where possible. There are lots of different approaches taken between airlines so it has been useful for awareness to know whether other airlines are facing the same issues. The Data Room takes the topic a step further and is a secure space for airlines to upload and share data sets for analysis and dashboarding.”
How do you see Yocova evolving in future?
“I think Yocova will continue to grow and the platform is a really important space for the industry during COVID times. I think when the pandemic eases further and restrictions start to get lifted, Yocova will continue to play an important role in connecting the industry globally.”
How about you? Do you intend to stay in the aviation industry?
“I’m passionate about the industry, having worked in it my whole career. I find my current role interesting and challenging, and I’ve enjoyed being involved with digital transformation.”
For more information, to contact or collaborate, contact Julie on Yocova via her personal Yocova profile.
Join the Challenge
Julie has found being a Yocova member hugely beneficial, especially through being able to exchange information, data and ideas with other member during the pandemic. What benefits have you enjoyed from your Yocova membership? Join the discussion over in our Challenges Area.
Published: 10th June 2021
Main image: Photo by @shawnanggg on Unsplash
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