had a brief look but get so much more out of sharp, 1 year training, then 10 months internship at 40k per year - a 10k sacrifice of pay, + turbo endorsments and guaranteed time of 300hr in the metro

Whats it like to work for REX?
 

Hi all,
Im new to the industry, and have been accepted into the REX cadetship, but have already heard a lot of negative talk about REX, in particular TandCs and the way management treat pilots etc. This seems to have been an ongoing problem for a number of years.

Can anyone that currently works for or has very recently left REX share what it is like?? Is it as bad as some make out, or just like most jobs where the good days are mixed in with a few rough ones??

Any info from the horses mouth would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Its simple

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RayMaswju1A


Sadly the goose that does the induction course on your first day will tell you that after 2 years you will be ready for the majors, "but for 2 years we have you by the balls."
It will be sad to hear on your first day...ignore it.
Lotta good people there
:sad:

Anon, it's not a bad job really. The SAAB is a great bit of equipment. But yes, the T&C's are not acceptable for proffesionals.

The main problem is the salary against the amount of work which you can do and are expected to do under the EBA - max hours with no real overtime incentive. To support a family on this money and pay off a house is just not a reality... so these days almost everyone will move on within 2 years of service.

As I understand it under the cadetship (correct me if I am wrong), REX wants YOU to find 40K of your own... then they back a loan of an additional 40K (TOTAL 80K), which you pay back whether you stay or leave? And if you leave before the 2 years your up for another 15K endorsement cost.

I would think in todays climate you could spend the money better - bypass REX and end up in a jet job on twice the money. :)

Tried Randwick?

Why not obtain a copy of the REX pilot EBA and make your own decision? :confused:

Not much action at Randwick these days and Flemington is over...;)

THE AGREEMENT
See p.38. 39, etc…

http://www.airc.gov.au/awards/tracee/agreements/pdf/AG843610.pdf

The way I undertsand the Cadetship is you have to pay the first $40K but Rex organises a deferred payment schedule with repayments increasing as your base increases. For that you have to give them 5yrs or pay it back immediately at market rates.

A scholarship for the next $40K means you have to give them a 6th year or pay it back in full with interest. If you don't get the scholarship awarded, you have to find the 2nd $40K yourself.

See http://www.rex.com.au/cadetpilot/Default.aspx

Rexy
 

..as I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong), after "graduation" rather than be given the keys to a shiny new SAAB, they cart you off to one of their subsid companies for a period of "what does that button do in real life". During this time you learn that you could have paid for CPL and ME/IR yourself and gotten a job there anyways, with real prespects of moving up in 2 years to a decent paying position rather than being shackled to Rex for a further 6. (all with 80k of debt if you try and tunnel out).
My advice, take the 40k you already have and get your CPL and ME/IR. Then apply to places "up norf" to do the same job they will place you in anyways. Then after 2 years or so, call up one of the more "major" players and sell your soul that way. You'll be free to choose, and have saved yourself 3 or more years at dismal pay.

..mmm
 

..actually I think I might be getting mixed up with the QF cadet program...
:mad:

Did REX interview anyone outside NSW?
 

Hi all,

As the titile implies, anyone outside NSW get called or interviewed? Know a couple of guys in Sydney who got calls but out of the 3 or 4 guys I know in Vic, none of us got a sniff.

Cheers

crank1000

Sorry, don't follow your point. Why should it matter which state you're from?
The cadetship is in VIC
Are you saying that Rex only have work available out of Sydney?

no one from outside NSW was interviewd for the first batch because the chief pilot and HR dept did not have time to get around to the interviews.
was told that non NSW applicants will be called for interviews in the next batches....

Struggling to see how sharps cadet scheme is better than rex at $98k (published on website) and there is no living expense included for the training period.

Anon,

You must be pretty good if your going to be the RHS of the saab by next sep/oct........maybe you should work on sep/oct 09...a little more probable!!

Anon 121,
If you are one of the new REX cadets you now have a very tall mountain to climb with undertaking your ab initio training through to a commercial licence, before you arrive at the foot of the next tall mountain where you get to apply the training in a commercial environment in order to actually get into this industry. If I were you I would start to focus entirely on the chosen task at hand and avoid completely other distractions such as the 'rumour milliing' here on PPRUNE!

whats the total cost? after interest? and all other ancillaries?

then to only earn $40k? for how many years?

the Uni option is certainly the more attractive, and financially rewarding...

dont forget Heks pays for most if not all of Uni.

Ultra, I looked into it just under 12 months ago and HECS only covered the university fees for the course - $18K over three years - not the flying component.

Has this changed?

HECS is just a loan also, which has to be repaid once your salary reaches a certain level.

43":ok:,

True, although the federal government won't make you stay in the one job for 6 years to pay it back!