I'm in my mid-twenties and I'm tempted to start modular over the next six months or so, there are however a few practicalities that I'm thinking about.
Piloting is the only career that I would rather do than my current job (train driving), that means I'm going to want a way back in to my current career if the airline world doesn't work out or if I can't find a job. It might be difficult to get back into a train driving career if I've been out of the driving cab for more than 12-18 months.
I have a three-month notice period, this is standard in my job regardless of employer. Would this be a problem for airlines looking to recruit? I certainly know of one or two cadet programmes it could potentially rule me out of.
It would be difficult to get six weeks off straight to do a JOC-MCC (particularly an APS one), there's a possibility that I would need to resign to start one of these (though it is a very long way off to be honest). A lot of the leave at my work (about 4/7ths of it) is pre-allocated by the employer, including a two weeks block.
I am tempted by the idea of pursuing the PPL, then doing CPL theory and an FI rating and instructing part-time around my current job for a couple of years, then if/when I did the MCC-JOC, I'd potentially have something to go full-time to providing an income of sorts (albeit perhaps limited). A lot of cadet programmes (I'm thinking any loan guaranteed/fully funded ones only if I'd reached this point) say that a candidate must not have started ATPL theory, would a CPL theory/FI rating be a bit much for them? I did happen to meet a microlight instructor at a cadet programme assessment but that's a wholly different licencing scenario.
Alternatively, I could look to save for the next five years or so and look to do one of the self-funded mentored cadet programmes up-front cash, albeit with a very limited powered flying background. No mortgage or spouse/kids at the moment.