Originally Posted by
grant.lebronte
Hey, I'm a new joiner that would like to ask for some advice on jobs and whether anyone else is in my situation on the level of VET debt they have.
Three years ago, I finished the CPL, Instrument Rating, and Instructor Rating (well Instructor Rating was a recent achievement), almost all on VET debt. I also applied for a small loan for some of this training. The total cost of everything from 0 hours to full graduate is $161,000 (AUD).
I'm also 42 years old and made the switch from Call Centre to becoming a Professional Pilot around 39. I am now struggling to get a mortgage because the banks loan against the VET debt (which I didn't know until it was too late).
Before the Instructor Rating, I also drove to Broome and across to Katherine and remained in Katherine for 6 months post-CPL until I got broken into & decided to leave and do the Instructor Rating down south again. Thanks to the helpful advice here, I went "north" but was not successful in a job but didn't like the crime wave moving from Alice Springs (it's worse now apparently).
It is just me but are others struggling to get a Grade 3 job or any type of entry-level flying job? I spoke to a CP on the Gold Coast over the phone who had over 30 applications for a recent Grade 3 position. Unfortunately, I was lured into flight training at my midlife thinking I'd have no problems getting a job at the end, while spending the rest of my life paying off the debt. I've now gone back to my original Call Centre position in the south and not sure on the next move.
Grant
P.s. Thank you everyone for the 'go north' advice. It didn't pay off for me but the experience of the wet season (from the ground), Kakadu, and drive in general is really great.
Haha yeah mate I'm sort of in the same boat here - did all three tickets on VET with a CPL in hand 3 years ago, been all around the top end and never found a job, but loved the experience anyway.
So if the bank considers VET debt in a mortgage application, what do they want to see before they'll give you a mortgage? A higher income than if you didn't have the debt?
I feel like a lot of flight schools are in love with themselves. Ya know the old "we teach it this way and we think it is the best way / better than
the school down the road". Funny thing is the schools with that attitude either have no practical experience flying or did their stint in rough and tough GA like 30 years ago. I have cold called and resume dropped a number of schools and whilst some are stand up blokes who will even tell you where else to resume drop, others are super tight and don't seem to care about you.
I don't know about you mate but I'd rather be flying than working in a god damn call centre. I know the feeling though, of not knowing what to do after having been around the whole country looking for a job.
I've come across a bit of work as of last week which will involve some flying, and I found work late last year for about 30 hrs of paid flying. Both these gigs have come from people I know, not from resume dropping, emailing or cold-calling. So with the big entry level operators in the top end, like you said, I'm pretty sure after I drop in a resume somewhere and have a chat with the big dog, another two dozen more charismatic, well connected, skilled people come in after me. Anyway might be good if your next move is to just network a bit more? There are fellas (farmers, tradies, doctors) with planes all round the country that need flying, not just in the top end. If you properly get into the circles around Melbourne ya never know who might have a mate who needs a guy to do some flying.
The worst thing is knowing fellas who have gotten jobs straight out of flight school / a couple months after moving up north. It kind of makes it seem even more impossible and out of reach. I mean, good on em, some of them are working in sh*t conditions, like being shafted with their pay, being based out remote for years, or being psychologically manipulated (yes you know who I'm talking about).
Another thing that helped me not stress so much about not having a flying job after so long of looking / so long post CPL, was broadening my world beyond flying. I started doing my licences in high school and a huge part of my identity was flying. Recently I've broadened out and started doing all kinds of other things and getting involved with other groups. Flying is nowhere near as huge to me now and there are jobs on the ground I'd probably take over jobs in the air.
Also if you have an FPC that is due that's a great opportunity to get a job. Some flight schools seem to hate hiring G3s they don't know...