COVID-19 severely impacted Hong Kong’s workforce, with unemployment rising from under 3% in 2019 to 6.4% in 2020—a 16-year high affecting nearly 260,000 people. The aviation sector was particularly hit hard, as daily passengers at Hong Kong International Airport plummeted from over 200,000 to around 10,000.

Facing a 24% global workforce reduction, including 5300 roles in Hong Kong, the airline sought alternative career pathways for redundant staff. They approached FDM to leverage our expertise in upskilling people for high-demand technology and business roles.

Companies benefit from diverse talent. FDM’s Career Transition Programmes bring industry experience, combining maturity with adaptability. The programmes bridge talent gaps, foster innovation, and productivity.

Our assessment process identified individual strengths and customised a Skills Lab-driven coaching programme to fast-track career transitions.

The airline promoted this opportunity internally, attracting motivated staff. Many FDM’s clients supporting the initiative, assigning candidates in suitable roles. This collaboration highlights FDM’s ability to provide bespoke talent solutions during times of change.

FDM guided transitioning airline staff by matching their transferable skills to roles aligned with their potential. Cadet pilots with STEM degrees transitioned into Data Engineer or IT Support roles, leveraging their systems knowledge, while flight attendants excelled as Business Analysts or Project Managers due to their customer service expertise.

Our team analysed client job requirements to identify necessary skills. Consultants underwent eight weeks of bespoke upskilling in FDM’s Skills Lab, with additional coaching provided to ensure readiness. Upskilling covered Project Support, Business Analysis, SQL, Excel, Agile, Scrum, and PRINCE2 certification.

Those in analyst roles received ISTQB certification, while technical career paths included specialised coaching for post-assignment growth. FDM’s expert coaches provided role-specific support for post-assignment career advancement.

Demonstrating our Career Transition Programme’s capability to upskill talent, regardless of their degree or background, FDM enabled successful transitions into business or technology careers across a range of industries.

Former airline staff success stories

Veronica
Previous airline role: Flight Attendant
FDM assignment: Test Analyst at a multi-national bank

Veronica thrived in her new career path starting as a Digital Test Analyst, then as a Quality Assurance Analyst at a leading banking institution. After two years she joined another airline – as a Digital Product and Transformation Specialist.

“I am very honoured to be placed at a well-known banking institution through FDM. It doesn’t matter if you’re from an IT background or not, FDM’s training equips you with concrete knowledge and ensures you can work seamlessly with clients.”

Conan
Previous airline role: Flight Attendant
FDM assignment: Business Analyst at Hong Kong conglomerate

Conan had been in the airline’s cabin crew for 16 months before they were forced to downsize. Leveraging his experience as a graduate of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, he is now in his fourth year as an FDM Consultant.

“I am responsible for the new IT system and project development areas of the company. As I am totally new to business analysis and project management, the training I received at FDM built up my foundation to help me thrive in my new role.”

Yuki
Previous airline role: Flight Attendant
FDM assignment: Business Analyst in Asia-Pacific’s largest insurance company

After one year on assignment, Yuki joined another insurance company, working as Associate Cloud Engineering Lead, IT Strategy and Transformation Lead, and eventually transitioning to a permanent role as IT Project Manager. In 2021, she earned FDM’s Consultant of the Month award.

“FDM trained me in practical courses like SQL, Excel, and project management which are all very beneficial to my role. Whenever I pass a course, I feel satisfied and proud that I have upskilled my abilities.”

Norbert
Previous airline role: Pairing and Distribution Executive
FDM assignment: Retail Analyst for a large retail client

Starting in an analytics team gaining insights from customer spending behaviour, Norbert progressed from retail to a business consulting firm where he finally internalised to a full-time Data Scientist role.

“I was attracted to FDM because of the exposure to various industries, the comprehensive training programme, and an attractive package. I am excited to experience what opportunities lie ahead.”

Chermaine
Previous airline role: Cadet Pilot
FDM assignment: Project Assistant at prestigious Hong Kong university

Chermaine progressed to Business Analyst at the university and, after seven months, transferred to a major insurance company. There she worked on BCM implementation, Customer Relationship Management, and Project Management. When restrictions lifted, Chermaine rejoined the airline and is now Second Officer on their A350 fleet.

“Through FDM I was able to gain relevant technical knowledge, including SQL, Excel, data warehouse and Power BI, and be given the opportunity to apply it within a very short period.”