Sponsorships are very few and far between. EasyJet and JMC are running a 'sponsorship' (repayable through your pay packet) for, I think, a total of 30 people this year. Their training provider, CTC, have places which
may become sponsored for a further 42 people. Britannia and FlyBe have run partial sponsorships for a handful of students this year. Air Atlantique run a highly individual scheme for a few people. Buzz have a partial sponsorship under way which is in doubt due to the takeover by Ryanair.
There are very few jobs available, and there are a lot of experienced, rated pilots still on the dole. There are also many, many people undergoing training at their own expense, and many of them are likely to be disappointed. This situation is unlikely to significantly alter in the near future, and it's impossible to guess what the future holds while almost every facet of international commercial life is on tenterhooks awaiting the outcome of the Iraq situation. My best guess is that meaningful recovery is, once again, 18 months away.
Sponsorships of the nature of the EZ/CTC scheme will survive, and will probably flourish when recovery begins. The BA style of no-risk (to the student) sponsorship is probably dead.
Go and get your degree, keep an eye on the market and be thankful that you're not trying to enter it just now!
Scroggs
Wannabe/Virgin Moderator
[email protected]