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As automation takes over routine tasks, soft skills play an even bigger role, Intan Shahira Mohd Shahru, CPO, points out. "Areas such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving are the main topics we prioritise in our L&D programmes."
In an era where technology is evolving at breakneck speed, organisations must ensure their workforce stays ahead of the curve. Continuous learning is no longer optional — it’s essential for staying competitive, especially in industries where automation and AI are reshaping roles. As businesses navigate the challenges and opportunities of 2025, learning & development (L&D) strategies must be dynamic, accessible, and aligned with future skills.
For AirAsia, upskilling isn’t just a strategy — it’s a necessity. As Intan Shahira Mohd Shahru, Chief People Officer, AirAsia Group tells Sarah Gideon, the airline’s commitment to reskilling its workforce took off in 2020 with the launch of its digital edtech venture, Redbeat Academy. Now rebranded as Outclass, the platform enables 'Allstars' (AirAsia employees) to expand their capabilities through AI-powered learning, micro-and-mobile training, and industry-relevant workshops.
In this edition of Upskilling 101, let's hear from Intan on how AirAsia is adapting its L&D strategy to bridge the gap between today's skill sets and artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, and equipping the workforce with the essential soft skills of tomorrow.
Q How has your organisation adapted its learning and development strategy to meet the challenges and opportunities of 2025?
Our upskilling really took off in 2020 when our digital edtech venture, AirAsia academy, launched Redbeat Academy (now known as Outclass) together with Google.
Through this platform, Allstars (AirAsia employees) are encouraged to upskill and reskill – a timely effort during the pandemic era when everyone was on a roll picking up new talents or skillsets.
Allstars could upskill and cross-train through a series of tech workshops and training modules in areas such as AI, machine learning (MI), software engineering, cybersecurity, big data and infrastructure among others.
So, the demand and supply for upskilling is there for Allstars but as we know, with technology, it’s constantly evolving. And especially being in the aviation industry, having a gap in AI and automation is something we can’t risk.
Knowing the appetite of Allstars, we prioritise designing engaging content that can be accessed anytime and anywhere so they can be updated on the latest happenings within the organisation. For those working in operations, such as our flight crew, engineers, and more, micro-and-mobile learning is key, and this is where quick bites come in to cater to their schedule.
We also look into AI-powered learning where we offer personalised learning experiences on Outclass that also allows real time feedback to learners. This greatly enhances learning efficiency and effectiveness.
As automation takes over routine tasks, soft skills play an even bigger role. Areas such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving are the main topics we prioritise in our L&D programmes.
Q What are the hottest, function-agnostic skills in your industry today – skills that will never fail you?
I’m a firm believer in constantly learning. It doesn’t stop no matter the age. Over the years, I’m happy to see how we’ve fostered a culture of continuous learning, digital fluency, and employee wellbeing to ensure a continued success in the dynamic aviation landscape. The day you decide that you know it all is the day you refuse change.
Speaking about change, adaptability and resilience are crucial for your entire organisation to manage change, embrace new technologies, and navigate uncertainties. The pandemic was a true test on how well we could take it on and pivot quickly when our main source of business was severely impacted.
Also, with us being a people first company and adopting the term ‘People Department' rather than ‘HR Department’, it goes without saying that people skills will always be a pre-requisite.
Leadership, humility, communication, emotional intelligence, collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving skills, and the likes will take you far no matter where you go, be it personal or professional.
Q How are you building these skills in your workforce? Essentially, how do you help employees accelerate their learning (especially when it comes to soft skills)?
The aviation industry is always going through periods of great growth, driven by increasing numbers of passengers and increased connectivity. Mastering the critical skills of learning, adaptability, resilience, and people skills is key to changing the game of aviation. And it’s on us to build capable individuals in various roles to support the evergoing expansion.
Apart from Outclass which hosts a plethora of learning and upskilling modules for all Allstars, we’ve also launched two groundbreaking programmes for our Allstars — Leading People and Leading Self. These programmes have been instrumental in identifying, nurturing, and engaging high-potential Allstars.
For this year, we’ve some exciting launches in the pipeline.
Just a little tease, we’re looking to launch an accelerated programme for young leaders and also build a talent marketplace where Allstars can assess their current progression status, identify skills gaps, and get themselves equipped with it.
I believe these will be a gamechanger not just for the company but across industries as well.
But above it all, what plays a greater role would be the culture of the company. We take pride in the unique AirAsia culture driven by our eight Allstar values –
- All for one, One for all;
- Dare to dream;
- Make a difference;
- Celebrate all individuals;
- Keep it simple;
- Be transparent;
- Have empathy and respect, and
- Safety is #1.
The AirAsia today was a dream of a very young Tony who wanted affordable, accessible connectivity for all. This is the basis of the ‘Dare to Dream’ value where we encourage Allstars to have ambitious goals, and we work together to enable it.
We’ve since had so many successful Allstar stories today — brand executive working his way up to becoming a CEO, dispatcher turned pilot, first female A330 pilot in Thailand, admin turned Head of Employer Relations, and so many more. These are the Allstars who dared to dream, they put in the work, and they made it happen.
Q On the HR front - What are the top 3 most critical skills your organisation is prioritising for the future, and how are you cultivating them?
Being human is number one. Time after time, people come and go or stay, many changes would’ve taken place, a pandemic would’ve happened with many other uncertainties – yet, humility will always remain.
Especially with us being the People Department, we need to ensure we build trust and act in the best interests of the organisation and employees. At the end of the day, it comes back to the people - our Allstars.
The second thing is agility. My team is well aware how fast things move in AirAsia — some days it feels like you’re juggling balls while running a marathon! HR functions have to be agile in accommodating rapid transformations within the organisation.
Naturally, what follows would be resilience. You need the persistence to navigate changes, present solutions, and make smart decisions that are cost-effective and efficient across all functions.
Lastly, I’d say one area that’s coming up would be intergenerational learning. A new generation is entering the workforce and making their mark with fresh ideas and a different point of view. There’s a lot to learn from these young ones. I may have been involved in one or two – maybe five – TikTok videos to share the AirAsia culture and Allstar experience. It’s also about having fun at work!
Q If you could have any superpower to enhance your learning and development efforts, what would it be and how would you use it to shape the future of work?
Give me the knowledge projection superpower through energy bending please! Having the ability to instantly transfer knowledge and skills to another at lightning speed would be cool. Imagine being able to effectively upload competencies directly to them — like creating mini yous.
This way, I can also quickly equip Allstars and the organisation with skills needed to close the workforce gaps quickly and supercharge their development. You don’t have to worry about any learning barriers or challenges too. Now if a scientist can get to work building some serum…
Check out our other Upskilling 101 stories here.
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