Originally Posted by
Happy Wanderer
Class2ldn, forgive me, but you'll probably be earning a lot more now in your current job (with potential to earn more given your age) than you will as a pilot, so do think very carefully before making the jump, particularly with no g'teed job at the end of it. There's quite a lot on here about the comparison between pilot and train driver jobs if you can find it - I have limited understanding of what's involved in being a driver, but one thing I'm pretty sure of is you don't have to pay for your training and job is a lot more 'protected' and secure than a pilot's - and you'll probably see a lot more of your family too. I'm sure there are some guys who'd gladly make the switch the other way given half the chance!
HW
Actually I know some who have but I guess different things suit different people.
I'd only do it modular as I could work it around my current job.
My issue is a) My age and b) My high school grades. No gcses but equivalents to 4 but that's it. Did email ctc to get an idea on what I'd actually need for them or whether they would count towards it but they couldn't be bothered to reply.
It's time like this I wish I'd actually taken the time to put the work in at school and obviously time isn't really on my side. Can't do a full time course to get the gcses obviously so may look at some evening courses while I sort out my ppl.
It's funny because all the things I hated at school like science and maths I quite enjoy now just don't have the qualifications to back it up.
As for the money I normally earn around 2600 after tax with no overtime but we only do a 35 hour week. No sundays either.
If we work about 5 days overtime then we can get about 3500-4k. We get a £50 bonus for each rest day we work.
It is a good secure job but the railways are not what they used to be i guess in the same way the airlines have changed.