Cadetship help for teeneager!
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Cadetship help for teeneager!
Hi guys,
As a year 10 student, I am highly interested in joining an airlines cadetship and was wondering how I can make myself more attractive and better candidate than other applicants. A quick summary of what I have done so far:
- I have chosen Physics and high-level maths for the HSC.
- I have recently completed a week of work experience at REX.
-I will be taking a few flight lessons in the coming months.
I am looking at JQ, REX, SHARP AND VA in terms of cadetships.
ANY HELP MUCH APPRECIATED!
As a year 10 student, I am highly interested in joining an airlines cadetship and was wondering how I can make myself more attractive and better candidate than other applicants. A quick summary of what I have done so far:
- I have chosen Physics and high-level maths for the HSC.
- I have recently completed a week of work experience at REX.
-I will be taking a few flight lessons in the coming months.
I am looking at JQ, REX, SHARP AND VA in terms of cadetships.
ANY HELP MUCH APPRECIATED!
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Sounds like you're on the right track. Just try to be patient, it seems like an eternity away but time will go by quick. Forget about Sharp though, its a ludicrous money making exercise designed to purge your parents bank account. All the courses run pathetically behind schedule.
Nunc est bibendum
Work on 'non technical skills'. Teamwork, decision making, communication skills such as debating, leadership, management, planning, etc. Stick and rudder is part of the game but what Airlines actually look for when they're picking a cadet is the rest of it because they'll train you on the stick and rudder.
Hi Airlinelover - have you considered the ADF? You sound like you're ticking all the right boxes!
The ADF is just too long of a commitment for me
And how long does it take to get to the captain's seat on a RAAF KC-30...and then to a DE captain with an international airline?
From what I hear, quite a few of our KC-30 captains have gone that route recently.
Airlinelover-----well done so far and good job coming in here and asking. You have guys like Keg in here to give you excellent advice.
Be keen, 100% won't be enough, don't let anything or anyone get in your way. You must be totally committed. There will be frequent setbacks but keep pushing on and up.
Good luck.
Be keen, 100% won't be enough, don't let anything or anyone get in your way. You must be totally committed. There will be frequent setbacks but keep pushing on and up.
Good luck.
I've worked with a lot of RAAF guys who have joined us (Airline) over the last few years, all were mid 40s at the youngest. None have joined as Captain, all FOs. I don't see why they should join as a Captain either without the relevant experience. Why are they so special? I've had that debate ten times over recently. One guy thought because he served our country for 20 years he had top pick of the jobs. Back of the queue buddy.....
Having seen the insides of the recruitment side of things our mob would generally sway away from Air Force guys and select those in GA or Airline ops already, those comments directly from CP. Couldnt comment on why I've never had an issue with them.
If you are interested in the A330 then head to China.
Having seen the insides of the recruitment side of things our mob would generally sway away from Air Force guys and select those in GA or Airline ops already, those comments directly from CP. Couldnt comment on why I've never had an issue with them.
If you are interested in the A330 then head to China.
Last edited by PoppaJo; 18th Jul 2017 at 03:29.
I've worked with a lot of RAAF guys who have joined us over the last few years, all were mid 40s at the youngest. None have joined as Captain, all FOs. I don't see why they should join as a Captain either without the relevant experience. Why are they so special? I've had that debate ten times over recently. One guy thought because he served our country for 20 years he had top pick of the jobs. Back of the queue buddy.....
Out of interest, how long does it take to go from entry level cadet to captaincy on an airline?
And how long does it take to get to the captain's seat on a RAAF KC-30...and then to a DE captain with an international airline?
And how long does it take to get to the captain's seat on a RAAF KC-30...and then to a DE captain with an international airline?
For the RAAF you'll be very lucky to be getting a DE captaincy unless it's an overseas contract job.
To the OP, if being an airline captain is your ultimate goal, I'd go for a cadetship over the RAAF. Especially since you don't seem interested in the military at all.
With what you've done so far you're definitely on the right tack to an airline pilot career, as others have said work on your non technical skills like teamwork and communication and concentrate on your school studies for the next few years.
Last edited by dr dre; 18th Jul 2017 at 04:17.
The question to ask at the end of the day though - and this is something only current tech crew for each airline can answer - is "Would you recommend the job as it stands today, based on what you now know about it?"
In talking to a VA FO a couple of weeks ago, he does still enjoy it, but wouldn't necessarily recommend it as a career anymore. Ever-present sim checks, time to command, medicals, and management mentality all play a part in that comment.
Another thing to consider, not just the education side of things: With those airlines mentioned, should you get be accepted into one, where could you conceivably be based, and could you afford a reasonable lifestyle on a cadet wage in that city? Rex pays their FO's around $50K for example. That's not going to come close to a decent place in Sydney. Plus car. Plus power (exxy & going up), etc.
As much as I love flying - don't we all - I am glad I gave the RAAF away and fly exclusively for fun now, when I want, where I want, in a job I actually enjoy more than flying.
Please don't take this as trying to put you off pursuing an aviation career - I say similar things to people when they ask me about driving trains for a job. And my answer is "I love it. But it is not for everyone. The roster can suck, the shiftwork can be brutal and as a result you will get bugger-all family time But even with all that, I wouldn't do anything else - flying included."
In talking to a VA FO a couple of weeks ago, he does still enjoy it, but wouldn't necessarily recommend it as a career anymore. Ever-present sim checks, time to command, medicals, and management mentality all play a part in that comment.
Another thing to consider, not just the education side of things: With those airlines mentioned, should you get be accepted into one, where could you conceivably be based, and could you afford a reasonable lifestyle on a cadet wage in that city? Rex pays their FO's around $50K for example. That's not going to come close to a decent place in Sydney. Plus car. Plus power (exxy & going up), etc.
As much as I love flying - don't we all - I am glad I gave the RAAF away and fly exclusively for fun now, when I want, where I want, in a job I actually enjoy more than flying.
Please don't take this as trying to put you off pursuing an aviation career - I say similar things to people when they ask me about driving trains for a job. And my answer is "I love it. But it is not for everyone. The roster can suck, the shiftwork can be brutal and as a result you will get bugger-all family time But even with all that, I wouldn't do anything else - flying included."
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That's being just a tad emotive towards the young aspiring aviator don't you think? If you have to convince someone (especially via the internet) to join the defence force then they probably don't desire it to begin with.
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The OP has stated his goal is to become an airline pilot and that he doesn't want to do it via the military. That's a perfectly fine decision, in fact the vast majority of airline pilots in Australia today did it that way. Do you go up to the other 98% of high school students who don't want to join the ADF and make them feel inferior?
Nunc est bibendum
Remember, the aim is to not just look better than another candidate on paper but actually be better in real life. That means actively engaging in your own development. So join the AAFC if you haven't already (although you're approaching the upper end of the ideal age range),engage in team sports, volunteer for virtually everything at school- particularly if there is a teamwork/ decision making/ leadership angle to it.
One of the things to remember is that getting advice is easy but you're the one who has to do the work. So talk to your teachers at school and tell them you're looking to build skills in the areas that I and others have mentioned and what can they suggest or what activities do they have that you can do. Get to know yourself and your strengths and weaknesses. Work on the weaknesses. Read books on leadership, team work, etc.
Good luck. It's an awesome journey.
Hi guys,
As a year 10 student, I am highly interested in joining an airlines cadetship
As a year 10 student, I am highly interested in joining an airlines cadetship
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As someone trying to do the journey who's a few years older than you but further along the way, this is what I would tell my 16 year old self.
If you want it, do it, the younger you are the easier it is. I read pprune and elsewhere as an 18 year old reading doom and gloom and it benefitted me naught, I just lost a few years wasting time. Ignore the doomsdayers.
Start as early as you can and while you're living at home pour your money into training. Aim to at least have PPL by the time you finish school.
Relying on getting into a cadetship could prove fruitless when they get huge numbers of applicants with relatively few hired. The GA stream is easier to tolerate if you're younger and if you're at an airline by 25 you'd still be happy.
Young people turn on the tv and ask if they really want to put their life in the hands of a Turnbull or Shorten. Sure they'll come to your funeral after you get shot down over Syria 'defending the country' but most aren't thrilled with that prospect.
If you want it, do it, the younger you are the easier it is. I read pprune and elsewhere as an 18 year old reading doom and gloom and it benefitted me naught, I just lost a few years wasting time. Ignore the doomsdayers.
Start as early as you can and while you're living at home pour your money into training. Aim to at least have PPL by the time you finish school.
Relying on getting into a cadetship could prove fruitless when they get huge numbers of applicants with relatively few hired. The GA stream is easier to tolerate if you're younger and if you're at an airline by 25 you'd still be happy.
Young people turn on the tv and ask if they really want to put their life in the hands of a Turnbull or Shorten. Sure they'll come to your funeral after you get shot down over Syria 'defending the country' but most aren't thrilled with that prospect.