Merged: Qantas Cadets

[liviaa380]

Here's a thought or two for all those apprehensive cadets out there in "the wilderness" : Either wait as 'all good things come to those who wait'and remember that there's no guarantees; or WWW.AFAP.ORG.AU and follow the link for JOBS. I hear that some outback charter companies are looking for some 206 drivers. But this latter thought maybe too inferior for some.
All the best

[Mstr Caution]

I don't think there's an airline CEO out there (not even Alan Joyce) who could honestly say where pilot recruitment will be in a year or two

If you cant honestly say where recruitment may be in a year or two, then failing to gear up for recruitment may leave an airline without crew.

[flynavy28]

You're absolutely right Mstr Caution, that's why I believe Qantas management is happy to continue the cadet program even though there is a very real possibility that they will not be required for a considerable time to come. It would be foolish for them not to, given that the program is run at minimal expense to the company and insures Qantas against a turn around in the industry that requires an influx of new pilots. I don't want to appear overly negative here, I just feel that we should all have our eyes wide open to the reality of the situation when such large amounts of money are likely to be spent.

[coke drinker]

Originally Posted by liviaa380

Here's a thought or two for all those apprehensive cadets out there in "the wilderness" : Either wait as 'all good things come to those who wait'and remember that there's no guarantees; or WWW.AFAP.ORG.AU and follow the link for JOBS. I hear that some outback charter companies are looking for some 206 drivers. But this latter thought maybe too inferior for some.
All the best

Can you blame anyone for not doing that given the garbage most of them are paid? It is a perfect example of why aviation will not succeed with Generation Y without major change. The Gen Y mindset is "I want to work weekdays so I can have fun with my friends/spouse on weekends. I want to be paid fairly for the job I do (and compensated appropriately for work outside normal hours). I won't work for someone who treat me inappropriately-I'm sufficiently qualified to find anoth industry job quickly. I'd rather find a job in another industry and get paid higher than beat around the bush for bugger all income." Given that this is a fairly common situation, is it a surprise that the amount of bush pilots is flagging? You pay someone total garbage, expect them to live in the middle of nowhere and then expect them to hang around? I'm not saying that all operators are like that but there is no denial that there are plenty of them.

[liviaa380]

To be able to enter into another industry requires something called experience, training or double degrees. Unfortunately the majority of cadets have only one such skill/degree. "I'm sufficiently qualified to find anoth industry job quickly".
All you have to do is google the words Gen Y and Economic Recession and find a plethora of sobering facts and theories about this supercilious bunch. Here's one such link Why Gen Y is Unprepared to Survive Recession | ITworld
So what your saying is that Gen Y don't want to work if it requires work If that's the case then heaven help us all.

[coke drinker]

Originally Posted by liviaa380

To be able to enter into another industry requires something called experience, training or double degrees. Unfortunately the majority of cadets have only one such skill/degree. "I'm sufficiently qualified to find anoth industry job quickly".
All you have to do is google the words Gen Y and Economic Recession and find a plethora of sobering facts and theories about this supercilious bunch. Here's one such link Why Gen Y is Unprepared to Survive Recession | ITworld
So what your saying is that Gen Y don't want to work if it requires work If that's the case then heaven help us all.

What I see happening is going back 40 odd years where businesses worked Monday-Friday and schoolkids keep retail ticking over on weekends. I'm not saying they don't want to work, I'm saying as a generation they want to be fairly compensated (which is a justifiable attitude!). And an award wage in the vicinity of $30k can be construed as unfair when training costs in the vicinity of $80k out of pocket and your career continues to cost you gazillions in renewals, document costs, medicals, endorsements, ratings etc. It's not like you can put the flying on a HECS debt.

All these kids friends go to university and end result is they pick up a well paying job and haven't had to fork out the cost for training because the government has covered it. This is why so many young people are going to look at these cadet programmes as a boon. They will work hard to meet the elevated criteria because there is decent remuneration attached at the end of the course. And FWIW I know that there was a course recently that I think half of the cadets had university degrees!

What's more, these friends don't have to live out the back of Bourke to get work! So you can see general aviation doesn't stack up well. I know people at Parafield, and I'm told this lot were a very well behaved, excellent, bright bunch of cadets. There is no inferiority complex attached to any decisions (if they make them) to go or not to the middle of nowhere. It comes down to what is right for them lifestyle wise, economically, relationshipwise etc. This industry is not going to survive unless people change their attitudes and assuming everyone will go bush to achieve their aims is not going to wash with the new generation. Without major change the pilot shortage is going to get worse not better. The cadet programmes go part of the way to correct this.

[2b2]

Without major change the pilot shortage is going to get worse not better.

I think you'll find that "major change" is already here - and as usual those prepared to do the hard yards and make sacrifices will succeed.

[garman]

panel interview

Hi guys/gals,

just wondering if anyone has recently done the panel interview for the Qantas Commercial Cadet Program, and what type of questions to expect? It says on the website that the interview will involve behavioural based questions, but also to understand the position of the second officer. Are the majority of questions behavioural with some about the role of the Second Officer, or are they still asking questions about general knowledge and aviation knowledge like "what does CAVOK mean?" or "who is the premier of NSW?".

Any info would be grealy appreciated!

Cheers, Garman

[atminimums]

garmin - Have a look at some of the posts on this forum, because those questions have been answered before..

But here is a quick rundown. I had purely behavioural questions on my interview, and it lasted about 50 minutes. At the end, they asked me what I knew about the duties of a 2nd officer. No technical questions were asked, although they did ask me about my opinion on a few of the events surrounding qantas in the media lately (my interview was the day after the a330 incident in WA).

best of luck,

mins

[bill.lumbergh]

QF22 were told they were going direct to mainline on A330 ops.

few months later...........QF23 have been told no placements at the moment....we'll call you!!

Any word on the fate of QF23?

[garman]

Hi guys, anyone here going through the selection process for the Autumn program? would be good to have a chat to someone who has had the flight test or is about to (like myself).

cheers

[panzerd18]

In regards to the Qantas Cadet Swinburne course, how long does it normally take for QF recruitment to advise you if you have been successful or unsuccessful after Stage 3 which is the panel interview?

[phatmike128]

panzerd18, all cadet applicants will be notified before xmas.

have your references been called?

[Muff Hunter]

Pooor Gen Y,

maybe they'll have to work like the rest of us had to, to have a career in aviation, instead of spending daddy's money on the QF cadet course and then given a free ticket onto a 747 earning plenty.

Suck sh!t i say, go and do your time in DRW/Outback like all who have come before and maybe you'll appreciate it when it's your turn!!

Also, from what I hear it may be some time before the existing cadets see the big birds (5 yrs) it's been said that the new CP doesn't care to much for them........

[panzerd18]

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post phatmike128. I do not believe my references have been called. I believe if I am recommended based on my interview scores, I will have to undertake a dental x-ray, Auscheck and reference check. I believe the Qantas Recruitment procedure (as per QF website) is if you have not heard within three weeks after your assessment you should give them a call which I may have to do.

[brown_hornet]

Nice one muff but we've heard it all before!

[Bo777]

Hey BH just wondering how long you were sitting on a LOI for? Totally off the subject.....but who cares.

[brown_hornet]

Bo777,

I didn't acually receive a LOI so can't give you kind of information you would like. Know a few guys who have been 'sitting' on a letter since May / June though and were told to expect a feb start but looks like they may be waiting a little longer than that now.

[cdp1981]

Qantas Cadetship

Hi

I've just been through the final stage of the selection process (interview and medical) for the 2009 cadetship, and have to decide whether to accept or not if I receive an offer.

If I accept I will have to borrow a huge sum of money to pay for the training and my living costs for the 18 months. This would mean I would be saddled with loan repayments of $300 to $400 a week as well as HECS-HELP repayments.

Could somebody tell me how much I would be likely to earn as a S/O for the first 1-5 years ? I have done half of a law degree and as much as I would love to fly airliners I have to ask myself whether it is potentially a financially ruinous career option given the coming recession and peak oil shock.

Also, is it true that the CIPP is being scrapped and that cadets are going straight into Qantas mainline after graduating from Swinburne ?

And further, could anybody tell me whether I would have to move to Sydney upon joining Qantas ? (I currently live in Melbourne)

[max1]

cdp1981,
Why didn't you ask these questions at the interview?