Should I Start My Integrated Course

[pippins]

I recently managed to get a place on an Integrated FAPTL course. I passed the aptitude testing comfortably and have a class 1 medical. My main concern is my career prospects.

Unfortunately during the time I was going to college I had to act as young carer to one of my parents who was terminally ill at the time. Meaning I only have strong GCSES results. To cut to the chase do I have any hope of gaining employment, the people I have met at the flight school seem very confident of me gaining employment.

Also if I do go ahead into this course what kind of preparation could I do to help me on the course.

[momo95]

Which school? And is it on an airline programme?

They will be the deciding factors if maximising your employment prospects are your priority ...

[Byrne11]

If its one of the big three CTC or FTE in particular.

You should be fine, providing you do well in your ATPLS and flying. If you do bad in your ATPLs you will struggle getting a job at a big flight school.
A lot of guys don't have degrees or A Levels in these flight schools in my experience, some do a lot don't.

You can't predict the job market, so do well in your ATPLS and first time CPL/IR.

[EMB-145LR]

Pippins, I was a carer in my teenage years too. It's a tough task and you have my full admiration and respect. You obviously have the aptitude. I've been flying in the airlines for nearly a decade now. I've been with BA for the last two years. I have very average GCSEs and only A/S Levels (I left school at 17). If I can do it, then you most certainly can. Good luck!

[pippins]

It nice to hear someone coming from a similar situation managing to get into the industry. Thanks very much for the reply and I hope to one day repeat your own success by getting a job with BA!

[pippins]

Which school? And is it on an airline programme?

They will be the deciding factors if maximising your employment prospects are your priority ...

I had a look around CTC however I disliked the clinical nature of the whole operation the custom flight bags fancy uniforms, it felt a bit like saying you've made it before you've done anything. I'm in no way having a dig at what is a established and incredibly successful flight school but it seemed more like a factory production line of pilots with no real interest in the individual.

Instead I decided to take a aptitude test independent of my chosen flight schools test and got good feedback from them. Followed by taking the Compass test at the flight school I have elected to go for which I got told I got good results.

Its a flight school local to me which is going to save me some money and I will still be able to do some flying abroad. It was cheaper then going to one of the larger schools.

After doing some further investigation on pilots who have gone to this school I have been told they leave you well equipped and assist you in securing your first job. A 100% placement rate in 2016 is quite an achievement as well as small class sizes make me feel its the correct school for me.