Hey, I have no problem with the query, and I don't care particularly what preconceptions What has - we can deal with those if he lets us know what they are! We just need a little more information if we are to give him useful advice.
If What just wants to show off the fact that he has a degree and a Masters at 25, well, it's a bit daft but job done! If he seriously wants to learn whether his educational achievements will aid him in the task of becoming a professional pilot, perhaps a different style and content of the question would have been more helpful.
Anyway, let's assume that he knows nothing much about becoming a professional pilot - we were all in that boat at one time or other. So, what do his degrees count for in our field?
Essentially, the answer is 'not a lot'! If the old BA sponsorship was around, and currently on the Britannia sponsorship, a degree - any degree - may be helpful, but it is and was a lot less important than aptitude and personality. There is no requirement in commercial aviation for degree-standard knowledge of any subject (and certainly not engineering!), and educational requirements of most employers are usually 5 GCSE's at Grade C or above (to include maths, English and a science) and two A2s in any subject whatsoever. These requirements are very flexible if you are more than a couple of years post-education and have a licence.
In What's case, we must assume (unless he tells us otherwise) that he has no flying experience, and is hoping for some kind of sponsorship. As I know you can all vouch, these are very few and far between - but they do exist. He needs to research Britannia, FlyBe, EasyJet and MyTravel (the CTC-McAlpine scheme) through this forum. However, he should be prepared for the fact that, like the majority of wannabes, he will have to source and pay for his training himself - and that will cost him somewhere between £45,000 and £70,000 depending on which route he takes. It will take around 18 months to two years, and his degrees will be totally irrelevant. And then he has to find a job......
Any further advice will have to wait for more information from What as to his plans and ambitions, and an honest appreciation of what he knows about the subject so far. I have a feeling that he's just dipping a toe in the water of what appears to be an attractive career, and he hasn't yet really thought through what he wants to do with the rest of his life. I wait to be proved wrong.....
Scroggs