Oxford Airline Partnership Programme

[andyg]

I read a post on an Oxford website forum saying that the scheme is up and running again this month! However, it is called the Airline Preparation Programme nowadays. It was launched at the Flyer show at the weekend, with details coming out on the website sometime this week. Did anyone who went to the show see any details about it?

Further reading around the website showed that 50% of course fees can be secured in the form of a loan, and that there doesn't seem to be an airline sponsor as such. They merely want to prepare you for airline, surely an integrated course does this? How much the course fees are however was not said.

Has anyone done the scheme at Oxford or know about the scheme, costs, selection, do you have to pay for selection? Estimated costs? Chances of a job at the end of it? Only those with trust funds need apply?

Any thoughts/views/knowledge will be much appreciated.

[andyg]

SkyRocket

Thanks for your swift reply. Is that really the case! The scheme would run for no longer than 15months i imagine....£12000 accomodation for 15months? Where exactly do you stay! As for 50% bank funding, you still have to find another 30k or so, and then pay the bank loan back i guess.

Think I will be giving this one a miss. If there was a guarenteed job at the end of it then it might sound a little more tempting. Back to the drawing board.

Anyone out there planning on having a go?

[no sponsor]

I think the scheme is a OK idea. But, in this current marketplace? BAe had a similar idea in 1998 when they were based at Prestwick. I don't know if that ever got off the ground, but they had some sort of testing. I understand many who were told they were cr@p and unsuitable went onto to airline sponsored programs.

If you've got 80K to do it, then do it. I understand it comes with 40 hours 737-400 sim training bolted onto the end of the course, so it is similar to the first 15 months a BA cadet would go through. Do I think it will be a good thing? unfortunately, I think it may set a standard for airlines not wanting a sponsorship course, but who can look to a course like this with no commitment. I suspect Oxford are attempting to create a product that can be seen to replace the need for sponsorship courses, that take a 'cadet' up to the point where they are ready to go directly to line-training. BAe couldn't make it work, however, but then that was in an age of sponsored courses.

As for the cost. Well BA don't pay as much as 80K, so I imagine the margins are impressive for OATS.

It does do the dis-service of devaluing the standard integrated course. I wouldn't touch the 'borrow' the money idea at all. At f/o wages it would be to big a mill-stone.