Jock and Genghis - go read the thread from all the Turkish Airlines FO's, crying because of the company's new policy that you must have a degree in order to be considered for command upgrade. Doesn't specify "what" degree ... just, a degree. This used to be a USA only thing but there are so many airlines now in europe, and also down under, where HR department
with pony tails have taken over from crusty old chief pilots, and they luuuurve those kids with degrees.
Yes it's a load of horse
and yes a 1 week CRM course would be more useful to any command upgrade candidate than a 4 year degree they did at some two-bob university in their teens ... but it's the way the world is going. Especially if you can blag even a few grand worth of subsidy out of the gov't, it can't be a bad thing can it?