Work experience thats worthwhile?
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Work experience thats worthwhile?
Hi all, I planned to start training towards becoming an airline pilot but due to the current economic climate and financial risk involved I have decided to shelve the idea for around 12 months.
My question is basically what should I do in the meantime that would look good on my CV? I'm not concerned with earning big amounts of money (turned down a 30k ote sales job in the city) but am concerned with something that would benefit a future career as a pilot. Any ideas? cheers
My question is basically what should I do in the meantime that would look good on my CV? I'm not concerned with earning big amounts of money (turned down a 30k ote sales job in the city) but am concerned with something that would benefit a future career as a pilot. Any ideas? cheers
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tricky thing with the winter months coming,
but a job in an airline ops/dispatch may help.
but if you work in the city, you wont need me to tell you the last recession lasted 7 years, not 12 months, so why wait till it gets worse?
but a job in an airline ops/dispatch may help.
but if you work in the city, you wont need me to tell you the last recession lasted 7 years, not 12 months, so why wait till it gets worse?
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My question is basically what should I do in the meantime that would look good on my CV? I'm not concerned with earning big amounts of money (turned down a 30k ote sales job in the city) but am concerned with something that would benefit a future career as a pilot. Any ideas? cheers
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Presumably then you either have significant money behind you either from parents, savings, or loans or some other source if you're not interested in the money a job will pay.
Funding an fATPL isn't cheap, better to take a decent paying job to go towards keeping you current or dare i say it, a SSTR (with a job offer at the end of it) in the future when you have your licence than to take a lower paying job and not have that cash to help you reach your goal.
I'd try a search, there's been some threads about jobs people are working whilst training or whilst waiting for the first foot in the door. A lot are working in non aviation jobs and I don't think that airlines would see that as a black mark against you in any way.
Ultimately, if there's recruitment, if you have the licence, if you can pass the sim ride and interview and impress the chief pilot that you're a level headed chap who'll be decent company for a long day on the flight deck, I'd imagine they won't care whether you've worked as a city recruiter or whether you've worked in aviation.
Some jobs, such as flight operations would definitely give you an idea of what's involved in an airline operation, the issues that arise, maybe the paperwork, the unsocial hours, and will probably be invaluable in making contacts. I would say the potential to make contacts with flight crew is the main thing you need to look for in a job.
I would say the best job you could take would be something that involves being airside and working with the flight deck crew in some capacity, possibly despatch or, if i recall correctly there's a poster on here who was a fueller "EGCC ramper/fueller"? who possibly made good contacts with flight crew whilst training and got a break that way.
Despatchers work with the flight deck crew and would quite possibly be on first name terms which could help you when you get your licence to get your CV to the right person. But at the moment, the industry isn't exactly booming and with it now coming towards the end of the summer season i'd say the main ground handling companies will be letting temporary contracts expire rather than taking people on.
No harm in talking to a HR bod though about when to apply for next summer season, I'd imagine getting a summer temp contract and earning a reputation for being good and reliable are a prerequisite for getting kept on.
Funding an fATPL isn't cheap, better to take a decent paying job to go towards keeping you current or dare i say it, a SSTR (with a job offer at the end of it) in the future when you have your licence than to take a lower paying job and not have that cash to help you reach your goal.
I'd try a search, there's been some threads about jobs people are working whilst training or whilst waiting for the first foot in the door. A lot are working in non aviation jobs and I don't think that airlines would see that as a black mark against you in any way.
Ultimately, if there's recruitment, if you have the licence, if you can pass the sim ride and interview and impress the chief pilot that you're a level headed chap who'll be decent company for a long day on the flight deck, I'd imagine they won't care whether you've worked as a city recruiter or whether you've worked in aviation.
Some jobs, such as flight operations would definitely give you an idea of what's involved in an airline operation, the issues that arise, maybe the paperwork, the unsocial hours, and will probably be invaluable in making contacts. I would say the potential to make contacts with flight crew is the main thing you need to look for in a job.
I would say the best job you could take would be something that involves being airside and working with the flight deck crew in some capacity, possibly despatch or, if i recall correctly there's a poster on here who was a fueller "EGCC ramper/fueller"? who possibly made good contacts with flight crew whilst training and got a break that way.
Despatchers work with the flight deck crew and would quite possibly be on first name terms which could help you when you get your licence to get your CV to the right person. But at the moment, the industry isn't exactly booming and with it now coming towards the end of the summer season i'd say the main ground handling companies will be letting temporary contracts expire rather than taking people on.
No harm in talking to a HR bod though about when to apply for next summer season, I'd imagine getting a summer temp contract and earning a reputation for being good and reliable are a prerequisite for getting kept on.
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Cheers for the input guys. Yes money would be very helpful but I would be willing to earn less and work within aviation...will have to look into jobs at the airport but it's looking unlikely lol
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Airside/ops & dispatch would be good. If you can't do that can you anywhere do a postal course on some aviation subject, Aerodynamics. Oh, perhaps a dispatchers course? Do not know how long that takes.
London Polytechnique, John Cass? Even learn a foreign language.
London Polytechnique, John Cass? Even learn a foreign language.
