Demand for pilots . Future prospects?
Hello all,
I've been lurking PPRUNE for a while now but I joined a week ago to be able to ask some questions.
As my username suggests, I would like to be a pilot. An airline pilot preferably.
I'm 18, and just finishing my A levels at school. I've received an email from CTC last week that the easyJet MPL programme is open for applications so I thought I'll give it a go.
But then I read some discussions on here concerning the Terms and Conditions that CTC and easy offer and also read about the massive amount of debt that the programme leaves its students with.
I've also applied to university this year and if I make the grades, I'll hopefully go to Queen Mary University in London.
My question is, will the job prospects of CTC graduates (and MPL students) improve any time soon?
I'm asking that because I have two options. To go to uni or, if successful with my application, do the MPL programme.
Which one would be better to do ? If I go to university, I'll have £27k+ of debt but good job prospects (IT industry).
This would however leave me with a very tiny chance of ever being able to afford a CTC/OAA integrated course.
If I do the MPL (given that my application is successful) I will have a pile of 'debt' but kind of guaranteed a job for at least 6 months (then go from there somehow) and also a job that I would enjoy. However, I wouldn't have a degree and I could no longer afford a degree as a backup plan in case easyJet drops the course or whatever happens.
At first the university option seems the obvious choice but the finance part screws everything up. It's either this or that.
If I do a degree, get a job (if I can) then save up for an integrated course (or even a modular) I'll be too old to start flying commercially. If I finish my degree at 22, work for 15 years to save up I'll be 37 when I can finally afford a course. That seems too old to get started, or not ?
I could also start uni, complete the first year, apply for next year's BA FPP or eJ MPL, defer two years at uni and complete one of the courses.
I'm just not sure if the already massive supply of pilots will be even bigger by then. Will there be any shortages any time soon which will get rid of a good chunk of hold pool residents (in the UK) ?
I would really appreciate some helpful answers, and yes I know modular is better than integrated...(or is it, nowadays...).