View Full Version : University/Nursing
Just wondering if airlines prefered candidates to have a degree when selecting cabin crew.
I'm doing my GCSE's and going to college for A-levels in September. Then I would like to go on and do a degree for 3 years and apply to be cabin crew at 21 rather than just doing A-levels and applying at 18 or 19 years old. This way I know that having a degree in anything would give me something to fall back on.
Do airlines favour candidates with a nursing background?
Thanks a lot! :)
It is always a good thing to have a "back up" when you are so young and considering UK market. Most airlines will just give you seasonal summer work to start with (please correct me if I am wrong).
A nursing background is not a must. However if you have all the requisits it is an advantage :D
Good luck with your studies :)
CandyBender
6th Jun 2002, 18:06
Katie, Nursing experience isn't as impotant to airlines these days as it once was.....& I think I'm right in saying that unless you keep your nursing qualifications fully current you can't actually give any more care than your cabin crew training allows. With more & more airlines carrying automated defibrillators & using the satelite telemedicine services nursing experience is becoming much more of a "nice to have". My airline's procedures have us call the satellite telemedicine service way before we start finding out if we have a doctor/nurse on board....they know exactly what we have in the way of facilities/equipment/drugs on board, wheras your local GP on his hols may not be familiar with the particularities of treating a patient in the air, in fact they are not allowed to touch our defibrillators as they are so different to what you would find in your local A&E.
There are loads of cabin crew flying who have been through further education & in this day & age it is important to have something to fall back on. Whilst I was at Uni I spent the summers working for Air France at LHR in T2 as a Customer Services Agent (checkin/boarding/meeting flights) & found the experience worthwhile. Might be worth checking out at your local airport who the handling agents/self handling airlines are as most of them will take on seasonal and/or part time staff....I know Aviance at LGW take part timers on working 18 hours a week.......this kind of work certainly gives you a good grounding in the operations & customer service side of things.......invaluable for a cabin crew job. Good luck!
Crash Barrier
6th Jun 2002, 18:16
Aaarrrgggh, a degree for 'plate laying' what next ?
Surely, you could even condense the course down from the standard 4-5 weeks. I mean, how hard can it be ?
Drill One. If there is a fire, put it out.
Drill Two. If you need to evacuate, open the door.
Drill Three. If there is a medical emergency, P.A. for a quack, or call ahead for an ambulance.
Apart from that, just get on with the job in hand, i.e. 'plate lay!'
:D :D :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :D :D
Crash Barrier http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/nogood.gif ...
......Bwaaaawaaaabwaaaaa
Crash Barrier
6th Jun 2002, 20:56
:( damn, it's the 'old bill' must dash!!! :eek:
Yes, you are right, there is an old bill pending here, as you had post not very brilliant things about CC in the past.
You better watch out how you express yourself about us in our forum..... at the end of the day I just need to press a little button and you won't get in here under your or any other usernames.
Yes, I am a dictator...and I find it very pleasurable :D
Now, back to the original topic....
Katie, a nursing degree will certainly give you something to fall back on should you ever need to, given the current shortages of nurses world-wide. You could keep your nursing registration current by doing some agency work at various times throughout the year.
Whilst airlines may not necessarily look more favourably on nurses per se, the skills you will gain in nursing could certainly transfer across to work as an FA - in particular, quick assessment of a situation, ability to remain calm under immense pressure, very sound communication skills, ability to relate to people. At the end of the day however, there probably isn't a lot of point doing a degree you're not interested in, particularly nursing. It can be a hard slog and to be any good at it, you really to be dedicated. If you're heart isn't really in it, then perhaps something more related to tourism/marketing/public relations/hospitality might be better suited.
Just a thought.
M.
Crash Barrier
7th Jun 2002, 18:26
:( It never ceases to amaze me how easily people get wound up on these forums. At the end of the day I believe a forum (whatever the subject) should be used for 'free speech'
As you so rightly say Xenia, if you want to be a dictator on this forum then that is your right, however for something as trivial as the remarks I have made I doubt you need to be so upset.
The remarks I made were in a lighthearted context, as was your initial reply. No I do not think that you need a degree, and I do not believe that a degree would help a new cabin crew member do his/her job more efficiently than someone with 1 gcse.
My reasons, well lets just say that I am more qualified to comment than you think. Oh and by the way, I did stick up for cabin crew recently on the air traffic forum if you care to read.
If one cannot post a humorous reply every now and then, then you may as well close all of the forums down and take up knitting or something..
:p No offence intended!:p
Right, I'm off down the pub......Ennnnngland !!!!!!!!!!
Crash Barrier, I think you didn't get my point....