Bachelor Degree for job seekers

[Romasik]

Dear colleagues, I need an advise.

My wannabeapilot son is about to start his hopefully long journey in avaition. As for now he has two offers - Bachelor Degree course in Aviation Business Administration from Fraser Valley University and Bachelor Degree course in Aeronautical science from Mount Allison University. Both integrated with pilot license training.
Can you please enlighten me from the height of your experience and understanding of what going on in Canadian aviation, what course would be more beneficial to land a job when time comes with an airline in Canada.
Unfortunately I can’t give him a qualified advice as my Canadian job finding experience at my time wasn’t successful...

Cheers.

[Romasik]

Given the amount of money to be spent, why not get a degree with some alternative employment potential? Aviation degrees are not generally recognized for employment in any profession because they tend to be college credits for groundschool and CRM. Any degree will do for “pilot”, and in fact most pilots have no degree at all. Unless you just hate to study, why not a course that will let you be something else, like accountant, nurse or engineer? Certainly all those would be impressive and useful for any aviation employer.

The pilot licenses are the same from some high cost college as they are from a flight instructor teaching under the the shade of his J3 Cub. The only places that care where you did your training are the training schools themselves, who tend to hire their own instructor graduates. Never have I heard of a chief pilot saying “oh, he went to XYZ aviation college, hire him!”. Quite the opposite, actually: “oh, he went to XYZ? Probably too arrogant and entitled to throw bags for us”.

Thanks for the reply! Regarding the value of some alternative degree I have already discussed it (http://www.pprune.org/professional-pilot-training-includes-ground-studies/585788-pilot-career-related-degree-appropriate-college-university.html) three years ago on the Training Forum. Most people consider it useless after some time with no experience in this field. A freshly mint graduate will have much more chances then a former pilot. So we already ruled it out and ended up with Business Aviation Administration or Aeronautical Science. The first one is related to flying environment experience and can be used any time after or at the same time with the pilot job. The second is almost no use anywhere except the cockpit, but allows better understanding of flying and definitely preferable for a pure pilot job.
As of "probably arrogant" - it's "probably". Why not to give a chance to a guy? Those arrogant things you can easily see on the interview.

[Ilyushin76]

Like waltair correctly pointed out, "aviation degrees" generally do not give you any real benefit in the long run.

People who are license holders with high school diplomas have an equal chance of securing employment and rising within the company. The company I worked for had a DFO who had a pure business administration degree (plus some banking experience in North America) coupled with his flying experience at Air Canada, Qatar and a local carrier. I myself hold an engineering degree which I completed before I started flying. It may not help me secure employment in case I lose my license in the future but as far as local airlines are concerned, an engineering degree holds "weight" - if you know what I mean. Simply put, they consider it to be a serious degree that requires dedication and hard work, thus both hard work and dedication automatically being added to my "personal strengths".

I'd vote for a 4 year technical degree.

[surveytheworld]

Let me turn things upside down here.
I would recommend he get his licenses at a local flying club while doing a tech program for plumbing, car mechanic, etc - those jobs are in HUGE demand, pay insanely well (remember your bill last time you had a water leak?) and can easily be done part time and/or as a backup plan... don't waste 4 years in school - get those licenses done and get flying before this pilot shortage dries up!

Sincerely -
A 10,000h airline training captain
20 years in the industry
No university or college degree

[harrryw]

Unlike others I think it is worth doing a degree. Any degree. I realise that it may be said that an airline pilot has completed a university level qualification (probably in depth but maybe not breadth) but some years later you may find that not having the batchelors degree will stop you being recognised for a job..I am currently in a country where a PhD who has a Masters and a doctorate but no batchelor degree as he received direct entry to his masters can not get any advanced work as he cannot be considered as he must by law have a Batchelors degree. Not smart but the way it is. Any degree counts and it may be that it will have no bearing to your future work but with it you can do a Postgraduate diploma in whatever field you want.

[Romasik]

Let me turn things upside down here.
I would recommend he get his licenses at a local flying club while doing a tech program for plumbing, car mechanic, etc - those jobs are in HUGE demand, pay insanely well (remember your bill last time you had a water leak?) and can easily be done part time and/or as a backup plan... don't waste 4 years in school - get those licenses done and get flying before this pilot shortage dries up!

Sincerely -
A 10,000h airline training captain
20 years in the industry
No university or college degree
Wow... Quite an unorthodox thinking... It makes sence)

[Romasik]

Unlike others I think it is worth doing a degree. Any degree. I realise that it may be said that an airline pilot has completed a university level qualification (probably in depth but maybe not breadth) but some years later you may find that not having the batchelors degree will stop you being recognised for a job..I am currently in a country where a PhD who has a Masters and a doctorate but no batchelor degree as he received direct entry to his masters can not get any advanced work as he cannot be considered as he must by law have a Batchelors degree. Not smart but the way it is. Any degree counts and it may be that it will have no bearing to your future work but with it you can do a Postgraduate diploma in whatever field you want.
Another consideration, that one may not have thought about... Thanks!

[Romasik]

Like waltair correctly pointed out, "aviation degrees" generally do not give you any real benefit in the long run.

People who are license holders with high school diplomas have an equal chance of securing employment and rising within the company. The company I worked for had a DFO who had a pure business administration degree (plus some banking experience in North America) coupled with his flying experience at Air Canada, Qatar and a local carrier. I myself hold an engineering degree which I completed before I started flying. It may not help me secure employment in case I lose my license in the future but as far as local airlines are concerned, an engineering degree holds "weight" - if you know what I mean. Simply put, they consider it to be a serious degree that requires dedication and hard work, thus both hard work and dedication automatically being added to my "personal strengths".

I'd vote for a 4 year technical degree.
So, out of my son’s choice of Aviation Business Administration and Aeronautical Science I’m not sure which one is more serious. Probably the first one. The second is rather shallow. And I have some doubts about an equal chance. I have heard these days airlines take people freshly mint from college/ university. You can’t land an airline job straight from the flying school. Can you?