New Zealand GA industry

[justhavingalook]

Im sitting here in NP (after tagging along on a charter) drinking coffee and contemplating my current predicament.

I'm just another low hour CPL, who has a brand new license and no job to use it. I know what some of you will say...get off your ass and go find a job, and you are right, I intend to. I dont expect a hand out and I have seen enough of the industry to know how it works, you have to sell yourself!!!!!!! I am just interested in how other kiwi's (or whoever else) feel about the current job prospects in NZ. How are we ALL going to make that first step and secure that first paid job.

[EatMyShorts!]

Hey, good luck in finding a job in NZ! I always dreamed about working down there as well, but there are no or almost no well paid jobs in your lovely country, so I gave up and rather travel down to NZ in my holidays and rent a plane for fun at CH. So, at some point your way may lead you to Europe, after the crisis. And what about Australia? During my last visit in NZ (exactly 2 years ago) the guys at CAC told me that many Kiwis have left for Australia because they get paid substantially more. I don't know how the crisis is affecting your area at the moment, but...have a look!

[Massey058]

I would love to fly back home but the reality is that too many of us want to fly and there aren't many jobs. Unless you're lucky the only path to gainful employment is an instructor rating. Which is fine if that's what you want to do.

Otherwise for our meagre population kiwi's are over-represented all over the world - Australia, PNG, Indonesia, Botswana etc.

Good luck!

[justhavingalook]

Yep I think you are both right. The harder I look I realise just how many people there are training in this country, and how few jobs their seems to be. If I were younger and single I would be off to auz, africa, PNG, or europe in a heart beat. But im not so I am going to have to work a little harder to make it work here, but thats fine. I am resound to the fact that I might have to go back to my original trade for a while until the market picks up. In the meantime I am doing my instructors rating and pestering the local gliding club to add me to the tow roster.

[NZ X man]

Most Kiwi's are going overseas, there are not a lot of jobs here, especially in the aviation industry, plus the wages are low. One of the big drawbacks to living here, low wages, and the cost of living is climbing by the year.

I have been trying to bust into the aviation industry here for years, always had to go overseas to work in the corporate arena, and if your not born and raised here, your a bit of an outsider. I would not come here to build time, because even if you are highly experienced, the opportunities are not really here.

Great place to retire, but not work.

[Bla Bla Bla]

Until the NZ government culls the student loan system for pilots the country will always be very hard to get a start in. There should be a conservative number of people allowed to train as the market demands each year.
The system is so backward as they expect people to pay it back, however they have never stopped to think that training so many pilots at the various sausage factories means we are over run with fresh CPL's. This in turn makes it unlikely that you will get employed and then paying it back becomes very very difficult.