First female chief of Kazakhstan's сivil aviation reveals her career path and work-life balance lifehacks
Saltanat Tompiyeva has dedicated herself to the aviation industry for more than a quarter-century. Starting her career as an entry-level specialist, she has passed all stages of professional growth, culminating in her recent appointment as the head of the Civil Aviation Committee at the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This achievement did not go unnoticed, particularly by Nicolas Rallo, the Head of the European/North Atlantic Regional Office of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO EUR/NAT), who acknowledged her contribution to the aviation sector. In an interview with Kazinform, Saltanat Tompiyeva shared her reflections on the role of women in modern society, and revealed her experience of balancing her work and family life, continuous learning and professional activities.
Ms. Tompiyeva, please accept our congratulations on your recent appointment! Could you tell us why you chose civil aviation as a career?
It all began in 1991 when I was 14. I won a local English language contest and went to Canada with other winners. Travelling abroad was a rare event in the Soviet period, so the first long flight to another country made a tremendous impression on me. The trip was truly challenging: we flew from our hometown Balkhash to Zhezkazgan, then to Moscow, after which we had another 10-hour flight to Montreal across the ocean. I was filled with excitement and emotions, and I wondered why it was so difficult to travel from Kazakhstan to Canada. Why isn't there a direct flight?
In 1998, after graduation from a university, I came to the Civil Aviation Committee known then as the Committee for Airspace Use and Civil Aviation Affairs of the Ministry of Transport and Communications. I moved to Astana, where I started working at the Committee as an aviation security specialist. I was responsible for international agreements, work on legislative amendments and similar issues.
From 2000 to 2012, you held the position of a chief expert in various departments. One cannot say you had a fast career growth.
You are absolutely right. I had worked almost in all divisions and departments during my first 14 years of work in the Civil Aviation Committee. My responsibilities encompassed legal issues, statistics, administrative-legal activities, airport operation regulation, shaping the aviation market, improving domestic and international air transportations, and international cooperation with other countries' aviation authorities and international organizations in civil aviation.
By the way, at that time, we addressed the issue of launching the first direct international flights for Air Astana and strengthening the position of Kazakhstani carrier as the national internationally designated carrier. It was an exciting experience - we created the legal foundation from scratch for opening international flights, developed the first bilateral agreements on air communication between Kazakhstan and Eurozone countries, and engaged foreign airlines in inaugurating the first flights to the new capital, Astana.
In 2012 I took the first senior position. I headed the department for 7 years. There was no vertical career growth, but the horizontal career growth let me acquire completely new skills. I became responsible for modes of air conveyance. I also gained experience as an aviation inspector; we inspected all transport services at airports. In 2019, 21 years after the start of my career in the committee I was appointed the deputy chairman. And my job became more challenging. It is worth reminding that the COVID pandemic affected the entire world. All the passenger flights were suspended. At the same time, we handled air freight operations amid strict lockdown. Besides, January events occurred in Kazakhstan in 2021. Since the Almaty airport was ceased and we had to immediately respond, reroute air flows. A new geopolitical situation in the world forced us to work at new routes to avoid closed airspaces. It probably was the most complicated period since we had to restore the air transport market from scratch. And the whole world was facing such a situation.
It is noteworthy, that the Kazakhstani air transport market has been restored strongly without state subsidies and bankruptcy of air enterprises while many countries in CIS, Europe, and other regions granted state subsidies for rehabilitation of the aviation sector and many of them just started showing the first signs of recovery after the COVID pandemic outbreak. Since 2022 and until my recent appointment as the head of the Civil Aviation Committee I served as the deputy director general of the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan. It is subordinate to the Civil Aviation Committee and is highly esteemed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Have you ever faced any stereotypes saying that aviation is not for women?
Yes, I had. People remote from the aviation industry, for whom civil aviation is associated with male pilots only formed such a stereotype. Women in aviation are highly respected. By the way, many women work in the country’s civil aviation. For example, there are 28 female pilots, 46 flight dispatchers, and 7 engineers. Women hold 36% of senior management roles in the Aviation Administration. 5 out of 16 senior officials in the Civil Aviation Committee are women. These are good indicators however they could be higher. Probably the key is that due to stereotypes women do not see themselves in aviation.
Yes, that might be right. Do you think your appointment as the head of the CAC can foster confidence of Kazakhstani women in aviation and other fields?
In Kazakhstan, there are many worthy specialists in many fields, both women and men. I am convinced that confidence in work and professionalism primarily comes from persistent work, self-demand and dedication to the cause. I hope that my example will be a good one for Kazakhstani women as one can start from low roles and end up with high roles through effort, hard work, and self-development.
You’ve mentioned of the need for continuous learning. Do you have time for further training and professional development?
Sure. I always strive for learning and mastering new skills. With my colleagues, we regularly undergo training in various areas, including programs the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) offers. I have lots of certificates of professional development. One of the most comprehensive trainings and key in terms of international contacts was at the Toulouse Business School between 2018 and 2020. I pursued the part-time program without leaving work and with twice-a-year study breaks.
Juggling work and study was difficult, however I managed to complete the program and receive an MBA diploma in aviation and aerospace. One day, I received a good comment from my classmates, who are high-ranking aviation specialists from 12 countries. All of them said that they had never been to Kazakhstan, but now they know for sure that in Kazakhstan there are strong women with leadership characteristics. They are very responsible, loving and caring mothers. As it turned out, they all watched with interest and warmth during breaks as I was having conversations with my daughter.
How do you manage to balance your intensive work schedule, studies and family life?
Undoubtedly, public service requires dedication and effort, but also offers satisfaction from the results achieved and the professional status. However, regardless of my love for aviation and my work, the most important role for me is to be a mother. I am happy to be one. I’ve never dreamed of a career and always wanted to be a mother of many children. Life turned out so differently – a career and one child. How do I manage to strike a balance between them? It is just that all my free time I dedicate to my daughter and her interests. She is 14 now and we are much more like friends than a mother and a daughter.
But, of course, my attitude towards work and a hectic schedule couldn't help but influence her. She is growing up very independent. I’ve never imposed my opinions. On the contrary, I consulted with her as an adult, listened, and supported all her interests. So, if you want to raise a responsible and an independent child, just love and trust them, allow them to make decisions and express themselves, and, of course, set an example of hard work, self-improvement, and success. That's the lifehack.
Thank you for the conversation!
