Flying Schools and then Employment

[TheHustler]

Hello,
just wondering about how many flying schools, such as Oxford, Bournermouth, Cabair, Leeds Multiflight, Liverpool etc, actually do a lot of work in gaing students employment after graduating. I mean, surely they dont just take your money off you and say " Ok heres your licence seeya! " and close the door!. Dont a lot of these schools have strong links with the airlines etc? ie; I've heard Oxford say 80% of their graduates gain employment and they help them in obataining it?
what do flying instructurs/ Sales people at these schools say to potential students about Jobs etc
Anyone know the true story from past experiences training etc?

Thanks:ok:

[carbonfibre]

Well a few questions there.

Yes they do have contacts with the schools, as for 80% employed after , i personally think the flying pig going overhead at Mach 2 is more likely.

It would have been fair to say that in the past they had the sponsorship deals from the airlines, however recent events have put paid to that , they now rely a lot more on the modular student.

I know some people i did my groundschool with at one of the larger schools and none of them are employed as yet, 18 months ago wee completed, and i know people who went to smaller schools and are employed, as FI's and currently working in smaller airlines, 1 of them being my first PPL instructor (now captain for regional airline)

Without beating around the bush to much i would say, dont listen to hype, go for a school that suits you, the people, the atmosphere, customer care, do you feel comfortable, do they have good results, because a lot of these small schools do. As with a lot of positions and not just flying it comes down to a bit of luck, right time right place, attitude and a lot of common sense with a pinch of reality thrown in.

Oh yeah im doing my IR so not finished yet im sure ill be in that long list soon enough !!

Hope this sort of helps

Good luck in your search

:ok:

[witchdoctor]

Hmmm, smells like (sniff, sniff) the boy's been to an Oxford open day.

Same old bull**** fairyland figures they were giving out 3 years ago. I wouldn't believe them even if they were to be a little more conservative and say 20% were employed in a flying capacity 12 months after graduation.

Don't fall for the figures unless they are prepared to put the specifics in writing and offer you a money-back guarantee if it doesn't happen. If this is OAT propaganda, perhaps you ought to enquire why their career development manager has left after only a few months in the job. Can't deliver the promises in the marketing hype perhaps?

Oh, and even the 'best' school can't magic up a job that doesn't exist, regardless how good they think they're 'contacts' at the airlines are. In most cases, these are the same 'contacts' you would have just by picking up the phone and calling them yourself, and your chances of gaining employment unaided are probably better than anything your FTO will do for you after you've left.

And yes, they really do say "Ta for the cash, seeya!"

[bumpfich]

I’m not wholly convinced the original post is not a wind-up, but if it is a genuine question…

I mean, surely they dont just take your money off you and say " Ok heres your licence seeya! " and close the door!.

Quite frankly – YES. All flight schools are business' offering a flight training service (as yet I have not found a flight school that is not a business - answers on a postcard if anyone has). You pay and they provide you with a service, usually to provide flight training to a standard to meet the requirements for a licence issue. I very much doubt that there is anything in the flight training contract relating to finding you a job when you finish - that's your responsibility (in fact even airline sponsored students are not guaranteed at job after they complete training).

Some business’ may offer different levels of "help" in finding a job - such as help putting a CV together, interview preparation skills, and sometimes the possibility to be recommended to an company as a potential employee (for the very lucky ones). But they are by no means duty bound.

If it makes things easier - think of a flight school as a University. You pay to be a student, you attend, you get a educated and you may be offered assistance in getting a job. No university guarantees you a job before you start your the degree. [n.b I know many "university grads" who after 18 months have not been able to get a "graduate level" job]

That said - you, as the customer, have the option of which flight school/university you choose - so choose the one that meets your needs (and its probably good for YOU to know what YOUR needs are prior to starting your search). Remember all flying schools are a business and they (in some cases - desperately) what you to choose them to spend your/parents/banks money with. Be weary of the “facts” that you are given and remember their motivation.

I (personally) have no problem with any flight schools (or university's) motivation, after all they are all business'. I recommend you align your expectations to what each flight school is actually offering (and what they are just "suggesting") so as not to be disappointed :ok:

Good Luck!

[ecj]

It is the old problem of supply v. demand. Elsewhere it has been stated that there are 900 UK issued fATPL holders without flying employment.

The good news is that Easy are intending to recruit big time, which means that hopefully a lot of places at the bottom of the food chain will open up in at least the turbo prop market.

Until that comes to pass, the best advice to anybody undertaking training is to do well. Obtain high marks in the exams, and pass the skill tests & IR at the first attempt. Having said that, all is not lost if you have the occasional disappointment along the way.

Keep current [for that sim ride] and impress the training team at the interview. Don't dump all you learnt for the written exams, and that includes performance A.

Capable students continue get recommended to airlines.

Destiny is in your own hands. Hard work will have its rewards.