I would like to point out something:
No one here who is jumping all over me for daring to have a different opinion than the majority has actually answered the question I posed.
If you were in my position when you started your aviation career and you had the same opportunity to go direct to airline after training, would you pass that up?
As remoak has pointed out, the cadets program is no different at all to any other industry that runs apprenticeships. You start out young, inexperienced and under paid. As your experience grows, generally so will your salary otherwise you start looking for other employers when you enter as a employee rather than an apprentice.
diablo:
PhoenixNZ,
you wonder boy you! All these posts coming from a 26yo guy without any aviation experience. Hmmmm 26 are we? Really?
You seem to have a firm hold of the industry and a bunch of well balance posts for someone who claims to be a "Jit" star cadet.
Think you're trying a little hard with the sales pitch. Your time is up, now go back to your poxy HR office.
And this is the problem with this discussion. One can't have an opposing opinion without being called a scab, sellout, HR employee, management wannabe etc etc etc.
Believe it or not people can actually have a different opinion than yourself while still being in the exact same role or aspiring to be in the exact same role.
Headmaster:
You need to open your horizons a little Phoenix. It is not the cadets that airline management are trying to screw, it is anybody and anything that gets in their way of making a personal profit. Geoff Dixon was happy to screw the entire airline to line his pockets. My argument is not anti-cadet, it is anti-short term greed oriented management. They are in it for themselves and do not play by the gentlemanly rules that you and I would if given a chance. Enthusiastic peolple willing to sacrifice themselves just makes it that much easier for them. They will push employees to reduce conditions until employees push back.
And dont worry, as soon as I'm at a point where I no longer consider myself inexperienced and effectively an apprentice I'll be pushing right along side you. I have no intention to simply stay on low rates for the rest of my life because management think they can keep me on some poxy contract. I'm simply happy to accept the poxy contract to start with while I build the experience, reputation and skills I need to push my case further.