CentreLink Paying for Currency of License

[scotton]

In the past, say 20 years ago the dole office (Centrelink) used to happily for initial IFR ratings and instructor ratings for long term unemployed pilots, which there were many of if they got a job offer requiring one.

By memory you need to be on the dole for 6 or 12 months, which was common as many GA operators expected their "staff" to be on the dole as they paid next to nothing anyway on the singles.

The cost of getting back into the air for someone who has not flown for many years is outrageous now, well if you are broke anyway.

Anyone know if after a while Cpt Abbot will pay for a IFR renewal and courses to get me back in the air and off the dole ?

Thanks, and if you speak bad and abusive, please do not reply, I want constructive input please. It is nice to be back here, I have not even looked at this site for about 10 years. :ok:

[mince]

You're a week late for April fools day....

[RENURPP]

Constructive?
if I were a Chief pilot and discovered an applicant was on the dole for 12 months or so and then used govt funds to cover their renewal costs, the application would be fast tracked to the bin.

There is work out there, even stacking shelves, McDonald what ever, if you want a few $$$ make your way to Brisbane I have a few jobs for you.

[kellykelpie]

It's a good question Scotton.

Anyone can go through a rough patch and end up in a vicious cycle.

[Damien1989]

Constructive?
if I were a Chief pilot and discovered an applicant was on the dole for 12 months or so and then used govt funds to cover their renewal costs, the application would be fast tracked to the bin.

There is work out there, even stacking shelves, McDonald what ever, if you want a few $$$ make your way to Brisbane I have a few jobs for you.

There are some pilots out there who are in the a position where it's the only way to feed themselves. That being; self funded bare CPL licence working "casually", 2 paid hours a week at the place you trained because they're the only ones who'll let you fly their planes with 150 hours. To get those 2 flight hours per week you'd be expected to hang around for 40+ hours and "help out". Then throw in study for ATPLs etc. When you don't have wealthy parents supporting you, sometimes the dole is the only option.

Scotton,

The whole idea of the government funding in this regard is as you said; to get people their qualifications so they become employable and get off the dole. Having said that, I can say with certainty they would not be funding an initial CIR and highly unlikely a renewal. They have the budget for things such as an RSA or forklift licence. <-- that would probably encompass text books for ATPL theory notes and exams.

[Wally Mk2]

I think & this is only one way of looking at it any Govt institution that has a budget like Cebterlink would be looking at the costs V the chances of you being employed & what the job market is like out there in any one particular field. Seeing as aviation is going down the toilet & jobs are sporadic at best funding anyone with a low chance of gaining employment then paying taxes back from it would be very low.

In essence the cost for one person who 'might' get a job in aviation after the Govt payed out squillions for training etc as against that same outlay being put to better use perhaps getting dozens of unemployed back into the work force says it all.



Wmk2

[VH-XXX]

even stacking shelves, McDonald what ever,

Not at age 43, they won't employ you because it costs them too much. They can get a 15 yr old to do it for less than half.

[LewC]

I don't know which Maccas you frequent but around my way,outside of school hours,most of the staff would be in their 40's.

[ButFli]

Plenty of old blokes (and sheilas) stacking shelves at my local Woolies.

A lot of them are semi-retired folks. Go out fishing or playing golf during the day and earn a bit of extra cash by stacking shelves in the evenings.

[Howard Hughes]

Bunnings is another place that likes people who have lived a little (aka over 40)!! :ok:

[hillbillybob]

Not at age 43, they won't employ you because it costs them too much. They can get a 15 yr old to do it for less than half.

woolies in broome seems to be happy to pay the almost $21 an hour for pilots to stack shelves.

a lot of 15 year olds aren't allowed out to midnight on a school night i guess

[yowieII]

Government assistance for self funded, someone who got off their ass and did something for themselves career and paid premium taxes for that privelidge.....hahaha......but I'm sure if you have something left of value, they will have a piece of that...:mad:

[Clare Prop]

As someone who worked several jobs simultaneously to fund my training and paid a shed load of tax along the way I'd be writing a very angry letter to my MP if I found out that Centrelink were using those taxes to fund other people to do the same for nil effort!

It's bad enough having the flying training and job market skewed with the fee-help or whatever it is called, the so-called "free flying" all the way to CPL for the uni students that we taxpayers have to fund.

[Lineboy4life]

If your fit enough to hold a class 1 Medical your also fit enough to work...

If your smart enough to pass a renewal your also smart enough to find & maintain a medial job whilst awaiting an aviation opportunity...

[ButFli]

But apparently if you're smart enough to be posting on a Professional Pilots' forum you might not be smart enough to know the difference between you're and your.

[Boeingdream]

Winning:ok::ok::ok:

[Arm out the window]

How much do you get for Woolies shelf stacking, just out of interest?

[hillbillybob]

haven't started with them yet (doing paperwork) but was quoted just under 21 an hour at the interview. they are stingy on when penalty rates apply though

[bodybag]

Get your hand off it..

[Centaurus]

Back in another era at age 52 I got retrenched from flying 737's. Prior to that I was in the RAAF and DCA for many years. During the two year retrenchment period I drove taxis and got insulted and attacked by drunken bogans. Decided it was safer to be a motor bike postman where the only danger was bloody dogs. Fronted up at Moonee Ponds for the postman interview and aptitude tests (I already had a motor bike licence). Failed the aptitude test and never got as far as an interview. I could be a 737 captain and a former squadron leader in the RAAF but not qualify to be a postman on a motor bike. Go figure, because I certainly couldn't.

A few days back I talked to a 2500 hour pilot who was attending an interview for a regional job flying a turbo prop. He had applied to Tiger a year ago before it was closed down. He passed all the HR stuff and so called Aptitude tests and was told he was now on the hold file and to report back when he had completed the self funded A320 type rating in Melbourne.

Completed the course and maxed his credit card in doing so, and reported to Tiger who had just lost its AOC. No job now. That was 28K down the drain.
He found a couple of GA jobs but didn't get in and then re-applied to the new TigerAir hoping to be re-hired.

He did aptitude tests for new Tiger all over again but this time he failed even though he passed all the other earlier Tiger aptitude tests AND got the A320 type rating. Guess what. No job with new Tiger because he failed its aptitude tests. Talk about rough end of the pineapple. Another highly experienced airline captain who had flown 737 and 777's and had over 15,000 hours also applied for the new Tiger Air. Guess what again. He never got past the aptitude tests either...What a crazy game is Australian aviation and how many pilots are all the poorer for getting into it. Thousands I bet:ugh:

[CaptainEmad]

Centrelink is like the tax office.
If the rules have holes in them, people will exploit those weaknesses.

About 20 years ago, there was a pommie guy where I was 'staff' who somehow managed to qualify for the full dole, special extra dole and the whole cost of his mulit endo + CIR.
They wrote him a blank cheque, so he basically took his time. Unfortunately, he was a completely hopeless student and never finisished the training or did the flight tests.
That money was not available to us because we were just ozzies and weren't special.

:rolleyes:

[bogdantheturnipboy]

Don't you just love RENURPP's comment?

Clearly you have lived a charmed life RENURPP! Lucky you.

Something I have learnt is -

Life doesn't always turn out the way you plan.

Until you walk a thousands miles in someone's moccasins, perhaps open your mind and realise there life ain't always that simple.:=

I moved for a flying job which fell through and it took me some time to get any work let alone regular work. Even when I applied for strawberry picking jobs there were hundreds of applicants! Yep strawberry picking ffs!! I didn't have the money to move again to get work and certainly didn't have the money for a renewal.

I have done all sorts of **** jobs throughout my life but I ended up on centrelink for a wee bit (painful experience that was!). I certainly would have taken up the offer for money (even a loan) to get my IR renewed if it existed.

It certainly does become a vicious cycle sometimes and well news for you RENURPP - in some areas this is high unemployment and when you are competing with thousands of public servants being laid off from the Federal and State governments it can be tough to get work.

An observation: the incorrect use of your and you're by aviators seems to be a common phenomenon.
I have also observed pilots like to say "I done it". I have to restrain myself from thumping them.