I have not come across any colleagues who do not take pride in the job they personally do.
If you have "pride in your job and pride in your work" that will almost certainly not correlate to always having work in aviation, here anyway. It could be stated that you are not really viewed as an asset by an airline if the way you are treated is testimony. You're an unfortunate requirement; the same as insurance policies, GNSS approvals and noise certificates. Thats the way it is - business. We are all used to that and nobody moans about the lack of recognition.
Weary of the whole damn thing my sights are lowered, a decent full time contract that allows my family to stay in their home country, the odd job opening that recognises some good old fashioned experience rather than peddling a falsely titled full cost but flexible pay type rating 'cadet scheme' aimed at young starlets and some half decent time off will do. I can't be fussed inciting much hope for anything else.
Playing the Devil's advocate; If you want to always have work, It's better if you don't overly value what you have to offer and as you say gladly take pay cuts to fly. They know it and use it, we have done it for them collectively. The crystal meth like habit the UK seems to have developed with cheap trainee schemes/PPY/ flex contracts sheds light to the claim. As a brand new Pilot walking into that first interview room at CTC/ John Doe airline, the stench of love blindness with the idea and Kamikaze like devotedness permeates for all to smell like a cheap cologne.
Best of luck with your training by the way. It's good you have industry experience to fall back on and it's a sensible way round to do it.
Last edited by Cliff Secord; 3rd Mar 2014 at 22:57.