Hiring wave vs. the degree requirement
05-30-2016 | 03:17 PM
#11
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,436
Likes: 438
I would get the degree. 25k is a drop in the bucket when you consider potential career earnings.
I have heard this over the years but I'm not convinced it's really "great" wisdom. I've talked with business owners, Booth/Wharton school of business grads and they all agree, a 10-20 year old degree isn't gonna get you hired over your peers. Experience, knowledge, selling yourself and most importantly knowing the right people, are what will get you a job. What I would say is get a degree that interests you, aviation or otherwise.
Maybe I'm wrong, I hope none of us ever find out.
Maybe I'm wrong, I hope none of us ever find out.
05-30-2016 | 03:24 PM
#12
Just Plane Stupid
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 463
Likes: 1
From: Captain
There are those that follow the path to success, and there are those that pave their own roads. I invested my time and money in other endeavors and not college. HARD WORK and LUCK allowed me the ability to not chase the buck in aviation, and it's been a very satisfying career. Choose your path, work hard and don't except failure. You will succeed! Stay out of debt at all cost...
05-30-2016 | 03:32 PM
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
I would get the degree. 25k is a drop in the bucket when you consider potential career earnings.
I have heard this over the years but I'm not convinced it's really "great" wisdom. I've talked with business owners, Booth/Wharton school of business grads and they all agree, a 10-20 year old degree isn't gonna get you hired over your peers. Experience, knowledge, selling yourself and most importantly knowing the right people, are what will get you a job. What I would say is get a degree that interests you, aviation or otherwise.
Maybe I'm wrong, I hope none of us ever find out.
I have heard this over the years but I'm not convinced it's really "great" wisdom. I've talked with business owners, Booth/Wharton school of business grads and they all agree, a 10-20 year old degree isn't gonna get you hired over your peers. Experience, knowledge, selling yourself and most importantly knowing the right people, are what will get you a job. What I would say is get a degree that interests you, aviation or otherwise.
Maybe I'm wrong, I hope none of us ever find out.
05-30-2016 | 04:12 PM
#14
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
Keeping plugging away it online - even 1 class at a time. At least you can show you are working towards it. Time passes faster than you think and next thing you know you'll be done.
In the meanwhile apply everywhere. I've been hired by 2 majors with only an Associates Degree. It was never even mentioned in the interviews. I have friends at AA, United, and Southwest that don't have degrees. But with the online programs these days it is really easy to keep working towards it. If I was younger I would keep plugging on mine. It makes for a stronger application. Even if you haven't finished it in 3 years, you can show constant progression towards it.
In the meanwhile apply everywhere. I've been hired by 2 majors with only an Associates Degree. It was never even mentioned in the interviews. I have friends at AA, United, and Southwest that don't have degrees. But with the online programs these days it is really easy to keep working towards it. If I was younger I would keep plugging on mine. It makes for a stronger application. Even if you haven't finished it in 3 years, you can show constant progression towards it.
05-30-2016 | 04:23 PM
#15
Otto
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 0
From: Turkish Pile Driver
Hello all, first time poster. We all know that traditionally (the last decade or so) a bachelors degree has been a requirement to get hired by one of the majors. With the forecasted hiring wave due to retirements, what are your opinions of a guy being competitive without a bachelors degree over the next 3-5 years?
I'm currently in a bit of a pickle deciding on my next move to make myself a more desirable and qualified applicant. Unfortunately when I started flying, I had enough saved to either finish my flight ratings or go to college.
My current situation allows for one of two options. Stay debt free, keep plugging away at my regional job flying 90 hours with 12 days off in month. Volunteer my time on days off to causes that could genuinely use a helping hand; be productive and offer some real help.
Option two- take out student loans to finish an online degree in my free time. Would wind up digging myself a $25,000 hole and take about 3 years to wrap up. I'm ok with that if it would put me in a position to be hired by a company that pays better than a paycheck to paycheck lifestyle.
I talk with guys in the jumpseat that say 5 years from now, the big three will be hiring guys without a degree on a regular basis. I'm looking for your opinions because I don't want to look back and say 'I should have started the degree years ago because now I'm stuck here' or 'I should have never taken out the loans and done the degree because it wasn't even needed.'
I'm currently in a bit of a pickle deciding on my next move to make myself a more desirable and qualified applicant. Unfortunately when I started flying, I had enough saved to either finish my flight ratings or go to college.
My current situation allows for one of two options. Stay debt free, keep plugging away at my regional job flying 90 hours with 12 days off in month. Volunteer my time on days off to causes that could genuinely use a helping hand; be productive and offer some real help.
Option two- take out student loans to finish an online degree in my free time. Would wind up digging myself a $25,000 hole and take about 3 years to wrap up. I'm ok with that if it would put me in a position to be hired by a company that pays better than a paycheck to paycheck lifestyle.
I talk with guys in the jumpseat that say 5 years from now, the big three will be hiring guys without a degree on a regular basis. I'm looking for your opinions because I don't want to look back and say 'I should have started the degree years ago because now I'm stuck here' or 'I should have never taken out the loans and done the degree because it wasn't even needed.'
Nothing wrong with people who don't have a college degree, Mike Rowe even has a foundation for people who do valuable work but don't have the magic piece of paper. Just don't expect to be hired by a legacy airline without one. I'm sure it's happened before and might even happen again, but considering all the other requirements to get to that point, is that really a longshot you want to bet on?
05-30-2016 | 04:33 PM
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,418
Likes: 120
From: Window seat
APC has a month, if not weekly, thread "can someone tell me how I don't have to do what almost every legacy pilot hired ahead of me has done?"
Or the " this isn't necessary" or "they should give me credit for XYZ" posts.
Probably the #1 "I don't want to" is college. "I don't want to be a CFI" might be #2.
Here's a version that's much more impressive - fill the same damn squares most of the guys ahead of you have. Telling your story and showing how you overcame difficulties is a better tack than hoping they'll change the requirements because of your particular "I don't want to."
Like the 40+ yr old guy who got laid off in 2008(?). No degree. No local flying opportunitues(2008...) Figured the majors would start hiring eventually so he took the opportunity of the lousy job market and went back to school to get his four yr degree. Then his wife got laid off. Yup, two teenagers, two unemployed parents. He figured out how to finish his degree despite that hardship. Why? Because he realized he needed to improve his resume vs hoping the rules changed.
Identify the weaknesses in your resume and figure out how to fix the weakness. Hoping the rules change is a poor strategy.
Or the " this isn't necessary" or "they should give me credit for XYZ" posts.
Probably the #1 "I don't want to" is college. "I don't want to be a CFI" might be #2.
Here's a version that's much more impressive - fill the same damn squares most of the guys ahead of you have. Telling your story and showing how you overcame difficulties is a better tack than hoping they'll change the requirements because of your particular "I don't want to."
Like the 40+ yr old guy who got laid off in 2008(?). No degree. No local flying opportunitues(2008...) Figured the majors would start hiring eventually so he took the opportunity of the lousy job market and went back to school to get his four yr degree. Then his wife got laid off. Yup, two teenagers, two unemployed parents. He figured out how to finish his degree despite that hardship. Why? Because he realized he needed to improve his resume vs hoping the rules changed.
Identify the weaknesses in your resume and figure out how to fix the weakness. Hoping the rules change is a poor strategy.
05-30-2016 | 04:47 PM
#18
On Reserve
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
From: A320/ A321 CA
Hello all, first time poster. We all know that traditionally (the last decade or so) a bachelors degree has been a requirement to get hired by one of the majors. With the forecasted hiring wave due to retirements, what are your opinions of a guy being competitive without a bachelors degree over the next 3-5 years?
I'm currently in a bit of a pickle deciding on my next move to make myself a more desirable and qualified applicant. Unfortunately when I started flying, I had enough saved to either finish my flight ratings or go to college.
My current situation allows for one of two options. Stay debt free, keep plugging away at my regional job flying 90 hours with 12 days off in month. Volunteer my time on days off to causes that could genuinely use a helping hand; be productive and offer some real help.
Option two- take out student loans to finish an online degree in my free time. Would wind up digging myself a $25,000 hole and take about 3 years to wrap up. I'm ok with that if it would put me in a position to be hired by a company that pays better than a paycheck to paycheck lifestyle.
I talk with guys in the jumpseat that say 5 years from now, the big three will be hiring guys without a degree on a regular basis. I'm looking for your opinions because I don't want to look back and say 'I should have started the degree years ago because now I'm stuck here' or 'I should have never taken out the loans and done the degree because it wasn't even needed.'
I'm currently in a bit of a pickle deciding on my next move to make myself a more desirable and qualified applicant. Unfortunately when I started flying, I had enough saved to either finish my flight ratings or go to college.
My current situation allows for one of two options. Stay debt free, keep plugging away at my regional job flying 90 hours with 12 days off in month. Volunteer my time on days off to causes that could genuinely use a helping hand; be productive and offer some real help.
Option two- take out student loans to finish an online degree in my free time. Would wind up digging myself a $25,000 hole and take about 3 years to wrap up. I'm ok with that if it would put me in a position to be hired by a company that pays better than a paycheck to paycheck lifestyle.
I talk with guys in the jumpseat that say 5 years from now, the big three will be hiring guys without a degree on a regular basis. I'm looking for your opinions because I don't want to look back and say 'I should have started the degree years ago because now I'm stuck here' or 'I should have never taken out the loans and done the degree because it wasn't even needed.'
I'm at a Major trying to move to another. I have a 4 yr ERAU degree, 13,000 TT, 2400 TPIC, Multiple internal RECs including one from a CP.
I'm still waiting for a call. So, I'm trying other things to improve my resume.
I know several guys in the same boat and many of my friends have similar total time and are still in the left seat of an RJ.
I don't think you can afford to skip college. Don't forget, you can't complete page 1 of Delta's app unless you can check that box!
Get it done ASAP!
T
05-30-2016 | 04:50 PM
#19
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,418
Likes: 120
From: Window seat
I'd recommend flying first. IMO the best path forward has changed. Get on with a regional airline at 20. Start college online/part time. Year round schooling you can get 18-27 credits each year. Five to seven years later you can be a 5000-7000 hr, maybe RJ Captain, with a degree. School first puts you 2-3 years behind the other timeline. If you're at an AA WO current projections would have you transitioning at 28-29. Right now that's in the youngest 4 to 11 guys at AA.
05-30-2016 | 04:51 PM
#20
Banned
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
Meh, degrees may be a thing for suckers in the future. Out of high school, get ratings, instruct, go to a regional with flow through a few years after that. A lot of people will get on with the majors this way and will beat their degrees counterparts by a few years or more. Or the degrees person might never make it if the majors are clogged up by flowthroughs and military.
Maybe too late for you though as it sounds like you're at a non flow regional.
Maybe too late for you though as it sounds like you're at a non flow regional.
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