Originally Posted by
SkyHigh
I have a friend who graduated from a local state college last year and upon his first year as a high school teacher started at 55K with the promise of having his school loans paid off on his fifth year.
Oh, and lets not forget that he is driving home by 4:00PM each day, has every weekend, holiday, two weeks in December, one week in the spring and the entire summer off. In addition he has a real retirement to look forward to. Stable employment. Demand profession.
Same cost of a four year degree as the aviation guys pay less the flight training.
SkyHigh
Must be nice. How many of those high quality private school high salary positions are out there? Looking at another web site (a teacher's site called "The Apple") the US average for starting salary for teachers is $30,667, which they get from the US Dept of Education.
Weren't you the one complaining about people "dreaming" of getting a job with one of the few high paying airlines and that not being a reason to go into aviation? Sound the same as this situation. Your friend got one of the "dream jobs" that most people don't.
Personally, I'm going into aviation with eyes wide open, and know it can be (and most likely will be at times) difficult. However, I can rationally compare it to my current profession, and deduce that I will enjoy it more than what I currently do (which is one of those childhood "dream jobs" also... what kid doesn't want to be a firefighter?) Not to mention the reduced stress level for my wife. About a year and a half ago she got her first ever call at work that I had been hurt and was in the hospital. Her stress level about my job has been a lot higher ever since, and I cannot in good faith continue to put her through that.
Yes, I said earlier I was a paramedic. I'm both. Talk about screwed up, what other profession requires you to be an expert (because people's lives literally depend on you not f'ing up) in two COMPLETELY different fields and be 100% every single time you go to work? And after 10 years of experience as a firefighter / medic, if I were to go to one of the comm/multi airlines (Piedmont is local to me, so I'll use that one) and start at the bottom of their list, I'll be taking home only $350-$450 less (based on 72 hour minimum at Piedmont) a month. 2nd year it's down to about $100 / month less. Year 3 it's even or better money.
BTW- I wish my wife WITH HER 4 YEAR DEGREE made $50K... and she graduated more than 7 years ago!