I was in construction but my career took flight after I joined one of the biggest aerospace companies in the world

36-year-old Fadhil Muhammed took a leap of faith to switch industries by joining Pratt & Whitney as an Environment, Health and Safety engineer. He shared with the Economic Development Board (EDB) about his decision and a fulfilling career at one of the biggest aerospace companies in the world, while staying close to his family.

Fadhil is one of many Singaporeans who have built a career in global enterprises here. His interview was first published on the EDB website.

By Fadhil Muhammed

I was working long hours as a Workplace Safety & Health Officer (WSHO) in the construction industry.

As I was just starting my family, I wanted better work-life balance and saw a job opening for an Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) Engineer at Pratt & Whitney.

Applying for the job turned out to be a great career decision.

Challenging but extremely rewarding work experience

Pratt & Whitney is one of the biggest aerospace companies in the world, with facilities across the globe and multiple sites in Singapore alone.

As an EH&S Engineer for the company’s Singapore manufacturing facility, P&W NGPF Manufacturing Company (Singapore), I was involved in establishing a very comprehensive EH&S system. At the same time, together with my team, I supported various departments in day-to-day EH&S matters.

It was a challenging time, but it was also extremely rewarding. Even though I had years of experience working as a WSHO, I still had a lot to learn, as workplace safety in aerospace manufacturing differs from that in the construction industry.

I’m grateful to have had a strong and supportive team that was able to show me the ropes and get me up to speed. This was also when I started developing essential skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving, which continue to serve me well today.

Leading more than 100 employees now

I’m currently an Operations Manager, leading a team of more than 100 employees.

The team consists of two production cells that are in charge of producing fan blades and turbine disks – key components of the Pratt & Whitney GTF engines.

Aerospace manufacturing usually involves more advanced technologies, and we focus our efforts on optimising production. I am also supported by four production cell leaders who manage operational issues and implement strategic improvements to the cells.

Besides the regular operations, we do experience unique problems that pop up occasionally across our manufacturing line and often require the whole team to work together to figure out the best solution.

Becoming an empathetic leader

Pratt & Whitney has also helped me to develop and grow as a leader through various leadership programmes.

With the support of the company and my direct supervisor, I attended the “Foundations of Leadership" course, which taught me theoretical leadership concepts that I can apply to my work.

One of the things I have learnt about being a good leader is the importance of having empathy. When something goes wrong, it is very easy for us to react with anger and start pointing fingers at each other, which can result in unpleasant outcomes at work.

However, we must remember that individual employees might also be dealing with their own personal issues.

So as a leader, it is important to be empathetic – we shouldn’t see a team member as “just another employee”.

With this mindset, we can then better understand the problem at hand and discuss with management on how to prevent such situations from happening again.

Personal growth is my biggest achievement so far

I never imagined that I would one day become an operations manager until I started working at Pratt & Whitney. Here, I’ve also been given the chance to explore different career options.

Instead of just looking at past work experience, Pratt & Whitney recognises the core skills that an employee possesses, and this, in turn, helps each employee build more diverse skillsets.

As my background is in workplace safety, I decided to try something different by taking up Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management.

Through this experience, I was able to further my knowledge and gain a different perspective on the work that I do. I also had the opportunity to visit other Pratt & Whitney international sites for benchmarking trips due to the close working relationship we share with facilities around the world.

The company also strongly encourages employees to take part in their scholarship programmes. For instance, the Employee Scholar Program (ESP) has helped countless employees, including myself, to upgrade our skills across all educational levels, from a diploma to a doctorate.

There is still a lot for me to learn about manufacturing, but my biggest achievement so far is how much I have grown, not only on a career level, but as an individual as well.

A glimpse into the future

The sector has really changed with the emergence of Industry 4.0 technologies. Things that were not seen in the past are now standard across the industry.

Now, when we plan for a new process, the first few questions that pop into our minds are: “Can I automate this process? Can a robotic loader be used to optimise this?”

I believe every single Pratt & Whitney facility in Singapore and even globally is already venturing into automation and robotics.

In fact, intelligent scheduling is already being used in multiple sites across Singapore, which has enabled our operations to be more efficient and effective.

It is quite cool to see all these machines in our day-to-day work. There are also indirect benefits to working in a high-tech manufacturing processing plant – our machines all come with automatic guarding which enhances the safety of my colleagues.

The environment is also pretty clean since the machinery used does not produce harmful by-products.

Go for it!

To young people looking to join the aerospace industry, you should simply go for it!

Singapore has a significant aerospace presence, offering numerous opportunities across different roles.

Working in this industry, and Pratt & Whitney in particular, also allows you to actively contribute to the engines powering passenger flights worldwide.

My journey has been rewarding, and I wholeheartedly encourage others to embrace this experience for themselves too.

Inspired to carve a career in a global enterprise? You can read about more Singaporeans building their careers in global enterprises here.

Top image from EDB.