I can’t offer much advice on recruitment assessment days apart from the fact it’ll be a straight forward interview and sim in either Dublin or Stansted.

Unless you’re on a mobile (floating) base contract, you’ll be on a 5 days on / 4 days off roster. One block of earlies / 4 days off / one block of lates / 4 off etc etc.

For Direct Entry Capt you can have your choice of contract (ie directly employed or agency) and pretty much your choice of base. They may not offer you the base you want but if you make it a condition that you won’t join unless you get it, you probably will.

You’ll fly typically 800-890 hours a year and it’ll be a mix of 2 and 4 sector days. Back to your home base every day with occasionally a week out of your home base which (if you’re directly employed) will mean hotels and transport provided by the company. If you’re an agency contractor you have to sort out accommodation yourself and you receive €30 per scheduled block hour additionally to pay for hotels etc.

Mobile contract is a 5/5 roster and you’ll change base frequently.

The CLA allows a percentage of new entrants to a base to be direct entry Captains - it’s written in the agreement. Huge growth is still planned and they are still running roadshows worldwide which implies they are desperate for new entrants in the left seat. Granted, the odd base will not be available but I’d bet most are. It’s January, the schedule is quiet and guys are still being asked to work days off. Most applications for unpaid leave seem to have been denied despite the opposite message coming from management.

How much cash does a captain get for working a day off?

Varies quite a lot between bases. Some around €600 per day. Stansted is £396 at the moment.

You Tube

a point worth considering - base transfers are soon to be done based on date of joining rather than date of request or any other method they felt like using before. So if you are after one of the smaller, over-requested bases don’t be fooled into taking one you don’t want with a verbal assurance that they’ll do their best to get you your preferred base in a year or so.

Finally a step in the right direction in trying to retain the staff they already have, it’s infuritating to see great guys leaving because they can’t get the base they want, to see DEC coming into those exact same bases.

Agreed re not enough FOs with command hours to upgrade, but part of the reason for them all leaving is they know they will only be offered undesirable bases, whilst the DEC can generally pick wherever they like.
Incidentally I think your info regarding the second part is a bit off, DECs have definitely been causing more issues than internal upgrades unfortunately.

Quick question, after you got your license(s), did you pay for any part of your job, such as the type rating?

you pay for your medical, uniform and every time you jump to the sim for the accommodation, meals and transportation... good luck!