is it sensible?

[ladybird380]

Hi all,

I don't want to start a debate but just would like some inputs from pilots and/or engineers.

After gaining a commercial licence and not finding a job ( of course being broke, not having any money to fly let alone pay for a TR ) would you consider studying for a degree (if you qualify for student loans ) as a future backup or save up for an FI Rating? For those pilots who already had some Mechanical or Aviation related degree beforehand, it must have helped great deal during the ATPLs of course but would you have done that degree had you known you could have had a job as a pilot just with the pilot's license in the first place?I mean did it help having a technical degree/experience for getting a job as a pilot?

Thanks

LB380

[no sponsor]

There are a few ex-RAF engineers who are now pilots in my airline. These guys are now Captains, and the hiring regimes even 5 years ago was very different than it is today. My airline isn't hiring anyone, however.

Today, the airlines who are hiring in the UK have a completely different set of criteria, and it has got nothing to do with your educational background, or your experience. Engineers and supermarket cashiers are treated the same.

Most of the engineers will tell you that they would be earning far more money than they do as a pilot. The engineers (the contractors) are raking in the cash.

[victorc10]

You have to do something...doing a degree would certainly help with regards to getting a job...although you might consider doing something not related to aviation. I did a degree first then the pilot training. I feel much better for it since I also have a number of years in a different proffession (degree related) and if I were to lose my flying job I could, with a little effort, get back into that carreer. Aviation is a very unstable proffession to be in especially at the moment. University is a good laugh too...what would you do if you found a flying job half way through the degree? If the answer is drop the degree, maybe it would be a wasted effort? It is a difficult choice!

[TheBeak]

doing a degree would certainly help with regards to getting a job

What sort of job? It really doesn't help at all in terms of becoming a pilot. Not unless you have a PhD in Maths or something which is just impressive.

After gaining a commercial licence and not finding a job ( of course being broke, not having any money to fly let alone pay for a TR ) would you consider studying for a degree (if you qualify for student loans ) as a future backup or save up for an FI Rating?

So you are saying that hypotheticaly you would get your CPL and then spend 3 years +, and £10K + of your time and money to get a degree so that you can get 'a better job' in order to pay for an FI rating. That's like going from London to Cornwall heading East. It is unecessary, pointless and long winded. Just work, gain experience, actually learn the world instead fo from a text book and you'll be better off. I have said it before and I'll say it again, if you want to be a pilot, be a pilot. If you want to be an accountant or engineer or lawyer or whatever a degree in something wishy washy like 'business':ugh: gives you then go and do that. WHat ever you do, do it 100% and don't look back. If I were you? I'd work for the next 2 years and THEN go and train. Job done.

[ladybird380]

I am going backwards here...People usually do an aviation degree to become a pilot. I am already a pilot but a very worried one. I don't have technical background and hate my day job. I know most sensible thing is to become an FI and go where the job is (we know there are no jobs at the moment in the UK but one should go where the job is right?). The truth is I don't have 6 grand to give to an FTO and even if I did find the money then what? I am more in debt and back to day job after finishing the course. What if I was an engineer fixing the aircraft if say I lost my flying job or couldn't get a job as an FI? I'd love doing that instead of what I am doing now! What happens if I found a flying job in the middle of the Uni?(I intend to fly whilst studying) I wouldn't say no and don't think at that point having spent 1 or 2 year studying would be a waste...do you?

LB380

[no sponsor]

Why don't you apply to one of the airline engineering apprentice schemes - you get paid, and get a qualification. BA used to run one.

[Pace152]

I did a degree in Aerospace, before I did the Pilot training, and finished it in 2003 (when the good times were on) and like about 80% of the other aerospace graduates found it extremely difficult to get a job.

Every time you applied for an aerospace job you were asked the same question "How much experience have you got"? the answer of course was "None because I've been at University getting this aerospace degree" and that was all she wrote... no job.

It's always been difficult to get an aerospace job in this country and getting one now is damn near impossible as there's hundreds of people applying for each job.

If you want to do the degree just because you enjoy learning about aviation and would enjoy doing the degree then go for it. If you would be doing it so that you hope it will help you get an aerospace job then honestly dont bother.

3 years of actual work experience is worth 20 degrees.

[ladybird380]

Just out of curiosity Pace152, did you get a job as a pilot at the end? How do you think your degree helped on the interview or did it?


Thanks

LB380