Oxford best chance of employment?

[mattince]

After years of saving, I am now in a position to find a full-time ATPL training course and am seriously considering Oxford.

I could go elsewhere like Cabair for less money but am hoping that Oxford will give me a better chance of landing that airline job!

Could someone please let me know if this is the case? Does having Oxford on your CV really give you an advantage over other applicants?

This is very important to me because I feel that I may have to pay more for training to guarantee a better paid job at the end of it. I'm 26 by the way.

[NigelS]

Brace yourself for lots of conflicting information from the various 'informed' masses you will undoubtedly hear from.
The general gist seems to be that OATS have too many people there and that the self-funding student will be bottom of the pile when it comes to priorities.
Also, getting information from them has been like pulling teeth for me and for numerous people herein. I would suggest you go talk to them and see for yourself though. Whatever you do when you get there insist on seeing the teaching staff and don't spend too much time talking to the silly marketing people. They are, for want of a better word, crap. Though they do like to intercept everyone and if they can get away with it you won't meet anyone else. Again this is just my personal experience and if someone has had a wholly different experience please say so.
Go visit the other providers in the UK, there's only a few of them and you'll be better placed to make a judgement at the end.

I am presuming you have your class 1??

Whatever you do in the end, good luck.

Kind regards

Nigel :)

[socrates]

Could not agree more with the above comment.

As an ex Oxford student I can confirm they have done absolutely nothing for me in my quest for a job, in spite of an average 92% pass mark and first time passes. I also have a friend who is still waiting for an interview they 'guaranteed' him with BRAL about 18 months ago. Fortunately he is now employed with a different airline and achieved that through his own merits.

In my opinion Oxford seems to count for less and less these days. The best opportunity you have to find employment is to get to know people in appropriate places. After all CAA exams and examiners are all to the same standard, therefore, no matter where you do your flying training you should meet that minimum standard, but do rem,ember it IS a minimum standard and does NOT make you an instant airline pilot.

If I were you I would visit the schools you have in mind and ask some probing questions; remember, they want your money and you are going to be the customer.

Good luck.
Socrates

[mattince]

Thanks very much - I now need to do some investigating into BAE Jerez!! Could someone please let me know the website address(es) for more information on what's on offer there?

Thanks!

[Sagey]

Look at all of them. Airlines use Jerez and Cabair, so I cannot honestly believe that you will only get a job if you go to Oxford.

Sagey

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

It matters not one jot if you attended CABAIR, SFT, OATS or BAE. All integrated courses are essentially identical; inspected and approved by the same handful of CAA inspectors each year... etc.

Thats my considered opinion after several years as a flying instructor teaching both PPL's and airline cadets.

Try spending a few hours reviewing old pages on this forum - this subject has been done to death over the years.

The SEARCH function would help but its offline at the mo. Sorry!

WWW

[mattince]

Can you tell me then, how much of a difference does the simulator training obtained at Oxford matter to your ATPL/C.V.?

I understand that all trainers meet high tandards but is there still an elite element to Oxford?

I am still searching for info/website on Jerez but have not found anything yet (there's loads though on the Grand Prix!!). Shall continue to search.

[FlyingGiraffe]

mattince - you'll find homepage for Jerez at www.baesystems.es. (http://www.baesystems.es.)

It's a bit lacking when it comes to in-depth information, but has some nice photos! :) Call the number there and Mary Jo will answer all your questions! Oh, but be quick, cos she's off on holiday for two weeks from Friday (03/08)

--FG

[fibod]

I'm biased; I work @ Oxford. But I have worked elsewhere and can tell you that there are differences between schools:

- check out the first time pass rates for the JAA ground exams and the CPL & IR Skills Tests. They vary a lot!

- check out the breakdown of hours on the courses. They vary from minimal twin hours to lots of twin hours.

- check out the sim type used for the MCC. They vary from fixed-base King Airs to full motion 737-400s.

- (this one is an ad!) check out the OAT Partner Programme. If you can afford it and are good enough to get on it, IMHO it's the best course and the best chance of getting a job in the industry. But there again, like many contributors on this forum, I am biased (I'll be teaching on it), so I would say that wouldn't I!!!

Whatever you choice, the best of luck.

Fibod ;)

[mattince]

Fibod - I'll be seeing you early neaxt year hopefully! I figure that if I'm spending that much money I'd better put myself in the best position possible.

Of course everyone will get a job with an airline but I need to get that 'better' job quicker so i can pay back some of my sponsors sooner!

Still checking out Jerez though but the extras at Oxford do it for me.

MY THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR ADVICE!

[Ennie]

I went to Cabair, I had two interviews before I had done my I/R, a friend of mine went to Oxford, they didn't want to know after he'd done his I/R, just wanted the balance remaining off of him. It all depends on whats going on at the time I reckon!. But thinking you'll get a secure job simply by training at Oxford is madness! :D

[window-seat]

Yep, I agree with Ennie,

Having visited OAT twice, I will admit that the facilities are very good. However, I have been told numerous stories of self-funded students being pushed aside to make way for the 'airlines eggs' as soon as the weather is good! Don't know about you, but I would be more than a little dissapointed if that was the treatment given to me after giving up 50K!

Oxford is a lovely little airfield, but you won't find yourself mixing it with 737's & MD80's everytime you enter the circuit. Keep your eyes peel'd however, those warriors can come from nowhere!

Try not to be suckered into all the marketing bull, do your research! There are NO GUARANTEES.

Good luck :D

[Wor]

HI Mattince

Just to let you know that i visited the Flyer exhibition in Manchester a couple of weeks ago and asked the Chief Instructor 'Why should I go to OATS' his reply and I quote was 'you learn about the real life of flying..... you can't always get up in the air and planes are not always available, but you get to meet the techs and learn about how to fix a plane' sorry to say but for 60K of my own money I expect a far better returns from my investment and I wholeheartedly recommend that OATS in the future do not have him on their stand to promote themselves (I'm a salesman, and we are the worst for falling for a good sell, this wasn't one) if they want our hard earned cash........ have decided to go elsewhere in Oct will fill you in on what I have learnt if you want (email me)... Go visit Oats and see for yourself, best advice I had from everyone

Wor ;)

[Fullback]

I think all of the products are much the same, afterall you're coming out with the same ratings and hours at the end of the day.
What you need to do when you're finished though is network around..... success in this industry like most others depends as much on who you know as what you know.
Good luck!