Folks, I'm seeing a lot of posts about how the iCadet program has gone down hill and is an insult to applicants, etc... etc...
I'm confused at what program you are speaking of. If you are talking about the International Cadet Application scheme, it is the same scheme used since 1988. It is the same as the local scheme used for many years, just opened to international cadets in 2009. At the time, it was never intended for anyone with lots of experience. The company saw that they could quadruple the amount of applicants by opening it to the rest of the world, and potentially get applicants who had a little more experience (as GA and training in Hong Kong is rare and extremely difficult). Cadets were never offered expat. All cadets have been local employees and knew upfront there was no housing allowance for them. Actually, the program has only gotten better as locals are now offered a $10K HKPLA.
What confuses me...when all of you applied to cathay in the passed (during the DEFO times), the cadet program was there. They were taking on the same types of applicants; people with little or no experience. You didn't seem to have a problem then, so why now do you tell applicants they are sell-outs, or stupid, or spineless (could go on for days with the insults thrown here). I'm not an applicant, but just a reader from the sidelines who is looking at both sides of the argument.
404 Titans - Again, Cadets never had expat terms. They are now, however, offered a HKPLA. From my understanding, there is a program in place similar to what you are saying for an apprenticeship. The forgivable loan, an estimated $210K AUD, is what cathay pays for the complete training of the 61 week course in Adelaide. For those who are on the 6 month advanced entry course, they will receive half of that money as a bonus when back in Hong Kong. Makes sense! Half the money given, as only half of the training is received. For those on Transition courses which only last 1-3 months, they are given 75% or more. 1/4 of the training is 3/4th the pay given back. Unfortunately, but understandibly, those who complete the full 61 weeks in Adelaide will not receive any extra bonus in Hong Kong, as the loan paid for the training. After 6 years of service, this loan is abolished and the cadet owes nothing.
Captain Dart - EK and British Airways have the same types of programs. British airways through a school in UK and EK through a school in Spain (they used to train their cadets at the same school in Adelaide that Cathay currently uses). Similarly, EK has recently opened their school to international cadets as well AND have added that they will accept P2X time. (Sounds like a direct hit at cathay as they are one of the few if not the only airline to my knowledge that gives a P2X rating)
CB - Hello again. Hope all is well. I've spoken with you before on this subject. I really don't think any cadets here (or at least any sane ones) take your experience for granted nor do they count it as nothing. I would doubt anyone applies to cathay with the hopes of making the industry worse than it is. Many are just looking for a job opportunity, and with the shiny packaging it looks great, and to some extent, is still a good opportunity given your personal situation. I agree with you, and agree more as I've read along these posts, there are many applicants to lazy to do the research themselves. This is evidenced by some of the questions being asked. I also agree, I would have thought it an insult if I applied as a DEFO and ended up in a pool, only to be offered a TT course as a "local applicant". And you have every right to be angry at Cathay for that. But you and a few others almost make it seem as though applicants that don't share your similar experiences are not "worthy" of being a part of this airline. But everyone who joins has to go through the same flight training as any other pilot in the world. And not all of them make it as I'm sure you know. A few people seem to have this misguided notion that once accepted for the cadet program, they are a part of cathay. Not the case. Cadets do fail out of training.
I understand and appreciate you and others sharing the negatives about the industry. And for the cadets that want to research this, it will help them see both sides of the spectrum. But in the end of the day, when someone decides to apply based on their circumstances, it doesn't make them spineless, stupid, or any other insults that have been hurled on this forum. It makes them an applicant. Whether or not they take the advice is on them.
Also, a lot have mentioned that Cathay has lowered the standards to the ground and will take anything and everything as long as it has a pulse. This is also not the case. For every applicant on this forum only some make it to the next interview, and only a handful make it to Adelaide, and even then are not guaranteed a job. This isn't to deter anyone or make any applicant feel as though there is no chance, but keep in mind it is very competitive and Cathay does still have a standard they are looking for. Sure its not just by flight hours (I'm sure there were guys back in the day with thousands of hours who did not make it because they did not possess the qualities that cathay looks for in its pilots).
TO ALL APPLICANTS - CB and others are right about the lack of research done. The same questions are posed on these threads over and over. I'm not talking about questions such as recent interviews, as the interview process may change. But i'm so sick of questions such as "I have an interview, what should I wear?" or "Its been 1 month and I haven't heard anything. What should I do?" or "What kind of math and english tests are given?" Go back through the pages as these questions have been answered over and over again. With that being said, Good luck to all of you. If you have heard both sides of the argument and have decided that you still would like a spot in Cathay, then by all means go for it. Wish you the best.
TO THE OTHERS - First, this forum, whether you want to agree or not, is a type of research. For those applicants who log in and ask REASONALBE questions, let them. They are not mindless drones, becasuse they ask about cathay here. To me it seems they are looking for answers.
Next, the airline is a business FIRST. Not one airline has had a flawless career where all the employees were completely happy about everything. I too have shared the opinion that the "fat cats" in management take the money while leaving the rest with nothing. But I know this is not always the case. I do Cathay is looking to sustain itself in whatever way it can. I've said before, I think they are going to ride the iCadet program for awhile, until they have to reinstate the DEFO and DESO programs.
Good luck to everyone!
