Advice needed - Is 2026 a good time to start training
 

Dear all,
Hoping to get some advice. Do you think 2026 is a good time to start an intergrated course in the UK? What do you think about job opportunities when this training would be completed (late 2028). I have read so much online good and bad. I see airlines have recruited heavily over the last few years. Will there be opportunities for a low hour cadet????

Aany advice is apprecaited.

Crystal ball question unfortunately!

The jobs market is currently good, really good, and better than it has been in a long time. But who knows what’ll happen.

If you can, clearly get on a cadet scheme, going to assume you’ve applied to loads already though?

You also need to consider the modular route. If you’re risk averse then modular allows you to exactly time when you end training, you’ll save 15-20k, and in many cases can finish training ahead of integrated students given just how unbelievably good integrated schools can be as screwing up their training pipelines.

Have a look at your timeline, if you start training in the next few months then there’s no real reason why you wouldn’t be finishing in late 2027 rather than 2028.

I also had had reservations about job opportunities available after spending a lot of time and money undertaking training.

However, I’ve began modular training (currently working towards my PPL) and will also apply for any cadet schemes that open this year. The biggest advantage I see in these is that it’s payed for and you have a conditional job offer rather than undertaking the training through an integrated provided.

No one can predict the future but without starting there’s a 100% chance of not securing a job! But that may be easier for me to say as I’m coming from a second career and have a secure(ish) job. I say ish as my current employer made a load of redundancies this year…point is..no job is secure!

I've seen it go from loadsa jobs to none within a week, so there's never really a good time to start. I would choose flexibility with the modular route as you don't get any paperwork at all until the last minute with integrated - at least you will get it in stages.

Agree with above posts. Notice you already hold a PPL then I shouldn't even waste my time considering an over priced/hyped integrated course unless you can get on 'sponsored' cadet scheme (unlikely).

Stick with the more flexible less risky modular route, completion within 15-18 months perfectly possible. Do not fall for the 'guaranteed job' BS as they don't exist even on a cadet scheme. I was instructing at Oxford back 2001 when 9/11 happened, 2 sponsored cadets schemes, 1 BA the other Aer Lingus were cancelled within 48 hours leaving the cadets with nothing (at least they were fully sponsored so no outstanding bills). I believe a similar situation arose with EasyJet MPL scheme during Covid.

As above. If you have a PPL then get a night rating and an IMC rating. In your position I would take the exams then get a CBIR and CPL all single engine. That saves you money and stops the clock on the exams with nothing to keep current. You can then judge the job market and finish off the remaining courses in 5-6 weeks. Hitting the job market with a brand new MEIR and MCC is better than doing it at the wrong time and then paying ££ to keep an ageing qualification current.

It's noticeable that TUI have binned their fully-sponsored MPL programme this year: FTN - TUI confirms no MPL cadet programme intake for 2026

Heyy Bill good evening, hope your doing well, I saw a lot of people asking the same question as you,

Wow, this looks like the route that I'm after. I have saved enough for the PPL, but I am unsure how to proceed after. When should I do ATPL?

Questions like this often come with a lot of uncertainty — not just about the industry, but about whether it will work out personally.

What tends to matter more over time is staying consistently engaged and progressing step by step, even when the bigger picture isn’t fully clear yet.
Long time vision is what keeps ppl going and getting there step by step over time…

The way I look at it (and I may be wrong) is I’d rather be qualified and ready when everyone ramps up
hiring than trying to catch up!