Airports are often seen as gateways to new destinations, but for Malaysia Airports, they are also gateways to knowledge and inspiration. Through its MYAirportsCARES Educational Airport Tour, the company nurtures the curiosity of young minds and guides them to explore potential career paths within the aviation industry.
Recently, the programme brought together students from three of Malaysia Airports Sekolah Angkat MADANI schools — SK and SMK Sungai Rawang, Sepang, while a similar session with SK Lubok Nibong, Marudi, Sarawak is scheduled for 3 December 2025. For the first time, the programme will also be extended to the community surrounding the Marudi Short Take-Off and Landing Airport (STOLport), providing rural students from SK Lubok Nibong, Marudi, Sarawak, with the opportunity to experience the aviation world up close in December 2025.
Malaysia Airports is proud to support the Sekolah Angkat MADANI 2025 initiative, a national effort under the Malaysia MADANI framework to uplift 500 rural and under-resourced schools through strategic partnerships with government agencies, GLCs, and the private sector. In 2025, Malaysia Airports adopted five schools across Selangor, Sabah, and Sarawak, contributing financial aid and resources to enhance school facilities, academic support, and holistic development programmes.
For the Educational Airport Tour at KLIA, a total of 40 students and 10 teachers from SMK Sungai Rawang, Sepang, participated in the visit. The programme included a full tour of the airport, covering key departments such as terminal operations, customer experience, flight operations, security, engineering, commercial services, and the Airport Fire and Rescue Service (AFRS).
Students also had the chance to explore runway operations and learn how luggage is managed behind the scenes, take a ride on the Aerotrain and shuttle bus, and visit Sama-Sama Hotel, a subsidiary of Malaysia Airports. There, they explored the hotel’s back-end operations, before joining a special engagement session with Dato’ Mohd Izani Ghani, Managing Director of Malaysia Airports. Each department representative also took the time to share insights about their roles, giving students a holistic view of how an airport and its ecosystem operate in harmony.
“The session gave our students valuable exposure to the many career opportunities within the aviation industry beyond customer service roles. Many students used to think that airports are only about flying or working at the counters, but today they learned that there are also opportunities in engineering, security, and many other fields,” said Shahrul Adina, an English teacher from SMK Sungai Rawang.
She said that initiatives like this are important as they help the community better understand the aviation ecosystem, not just in flight operations, but also in supporting local development through education, job opportunities, and community engagement.
The Next Generation of Aviation Enthusiasts
“I was thrilled to be selected for this airport tour as I learned so many new things to share with my friends. It was truly an eye-opening experience to witness how many people work behind the scenes to ensure smooth airport operations. I’m particularly fascinated by airport management, as it shows how every department collaborates seamlessly to keep things running efficiently. This experience has really inspired me to learn more about this field in the future,” said Puteri Ainur Mardiyah, one of the participants of the KLIA educational tour.
Alia Insyirah, a science student, shared that the airport tour changed her perspective on future careers. “I used to dream of becoming a doctor, but after joining the tour, I discovered how exciting the field of engineering can be. Watching how the airport operates, especially the flight systems, air traffic control, and maintenance operations, made me realise that engineering is a vast and dynamic field with endless opportunities,” she said.
Empowering Students Through Real-World Learning
Dato’ Mohd Izani Ghani said the programme is designed to give students deeper exposure to the many facets of airport operations.
“An airport is not just about managing aircraft take-offs and landings; it represents a blend of science, technology, and expertise across various disciplines. We hope this experience inspires students to continue learning and exploring aviation-related fields, whether in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), management, communications, or customer service, as the aviation industry offers vast career opportunities for all,” he said.
A Continuing Journey of Inspiration
The visits involved students from two other Malaysia Airports Sekolah Angkat MADANI, SK Sungai Rawang, who explored KLIA on 29 October, and SK Lubok Nibong, who will be visiting Miri Airport on 3 December.
Since its introduction in 2023, the Educational Airport Tour has become a key platform for students to better understand the vital role of airport operations teams in ensuring safe and seamless travel. To date, more than 130 visits have been conducted nationwide, involving nearly 6,000 students across 21 airports managed by Malaysia Airports.
Through this initiative, Malaysia Airports not only supports the Sekolah Angkat MADANI aspiration but also reinforces its commitment to empowering education, fostering community development, and nurturing the next generation of aviation professionals.
This Driving Transformation series is a collaboration with Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB)
