What are the other aspects you will lookout for in finding your career other than money and skill development?

Networking and don't burn your bridge.

It's not common for someone to enjoy what they are doing! I'd say keep at it!

Me too doesn't like the long travel time and will always find ways to reduce them:

1/ Rent a room near the workplace - the taxi rides (assuming cannot claim), the mrt rides, and time lost on commute will usually justify the cost of renting one bedroom

2a/ Carpooling - I'm sure you have colleagues who stay near you, and even better, one of them could be driving to work every day. Agree on a fixed time to meet and a sum to pay (check using GrabHitch app maybe?), then go to work together!

2b/ GrabHitch to find your Carpooling buddies - so if you really don't have anyone you know who stays near you and drive to work, try using GrabHitch a few times, then you will eventually find a driver who does the same route as you every day. Arrange a long-term solution from there.

I endured 1.5 hr to and fro for many yrs. When your time is cheap and you need the job more than the job needs you, you basically have no choice, and no money to buy car lol. But if you know how to improve your market value gradually you will realise that you have more choices to choose 1 hr travel time then 45 min then 30 min or 15 min. Usually if you can reach that point, the job needs you more than you need the job.

Yes, location is a big consideration for me as I've lived lives like yours, 3 hrs to/from but I don't have Grab / Taxi, still bus / mrt /walk. So i know the time wasting / pain. Not only does it waste time and $, it also waste a lot of energy if is just bus / mrt / walk.

What i can do as much as possible if I get a seat and able to stand peacefully without needing to constantly shift, I will just read and make the time useful!

So after a period of 3.5hrs daily travelling to / fro, I realize that I can make the $ back but I cannot earn back the time lost!

Thus I decided to find jobs where i can reach as short as possible within an hour travelling at most.
For your case, I believer as you OT so you can claim grab or taxi ? :)

Morning 1.5hrs to work and night 1.5hrs return.

If your passion is in Aviation, it will always be the extreme east or Seletar area since that's where the aviation company located.

Central workplace is usually Finance related or recently more FinTech related jobs, some a/c some admins. If you can switch and accept a lower pay, then might be possible but does not seems to be a wise financial decision.

As your studies and passion is in Aviation, I would recommend either:

1) Relocate overseas for better prospect , higher income and training

or

2) Sell your house / move to rent somewhere near work. This will helps to save time, $ and whole lot of energy.