What happens if I don't get selected?
There are only so many airline jobs that come available in the UK each year.
A proportion of those will go to sponsored cadets.
Some will be taken by people leaving the RAF (or the other armed forces).
A few will be taken by ‘experienced’ pilots from other countries.
What % are left over for self-sponsored/self-improvers to scrap over?
Presumably, with the advent of the CTC McAlpine Sponsorship Programme the number of sponsored cadet ‘places’ has increased - at the expense of the ‘self-improver places’?
So, although the chances of being selected have improved, if you are turned down, by definition you are not so attractive to the airlines and the number of places to go for is more limited than before?
At the same time, BAe have just increased their integrated course fees by 11% to £59,500 and OATS put theirs up to £72,000 which is also about a 11% rise (what’s inflation at the moment, 2.5%?). There’s always Cabair – a bit cheaper but with a Woolworths image. And of course as many modular routes as you can shake a stick at. They always seem much cheaper, but when I do a budget and allow for all the things missing from the headline prices (landing fees, pilot bag, nav kit, headset, airfares, travel, food, accommodation, test fees, a safety net in case I fail the odd test, travel insurance, the life and critical illness insurance the bank insists on, etc, etc) the difference narrows.
This is not meant to be an integrated vs modular thread. That’s been done to death many times before and recently. But if I don’t get sponsored, I cannot get my head round spending £72K or even £60K with a reduced chance of employment at the end and no realistic chance of getting well paid employment. I mean OATS must be taking the ****. I can see the Chief Pilot now:
“Where did you do your training?”
“OATS”
“Oh, so you failed the sponsorship selection?”
“Well, yes, but it’s a very old school you know – you can tell by the aircraft. They also have a very nice man who teaches you how to right a top CV.”
“But why should I give you a job?”
“Because I’ve got a huge loan now and I really need a job”
Is anyone actually forking out this dosh? Wouldn’t it be better to do a cheaper course then buy a type rating and go for Ryanair? If I don’t get selected for sponsorship (please, please let it happen) what should I do?
If you answer, remember things have changed since a couple of years ago – both in the training market and the airline employment market (where I’m looking a couple of years forward anyway). What made sense before may not now and the problem facing people who are either not selected or not eligible is today and tomorrow’s problem.
Thanks
Tony