Are pilots required to take any courses prior to getting hired?

I hear a lot of focus is spent on Crew Resource Management (CRM). Does one need to complete any training in CRM before or after getting hired?

 

No, if you are talking about the regional level this is the stuff you NEED:

Pilots License: COMM, AMEL
Medical: 1st. Class (current)
500-1500 hours total time.
50-300 hours ME time
US Citizenship (or greencard)
Passport

These things may be required, and will be helpful:
ATP, AMEL
FCC Restricted Radiotelephone Operator License

These things will be helpful:
CFI/CFII/MEI Tickets.
Previous 121, 135, or turbine flight time.


Anything else, such as "airline oriented training" may be slightly beneficial, but is not going to worth the cost in any event. These types of training courses are scams...but a lot of people fall for them. Your airline will provide ALL of your required training at no cost (except Gulfstream, which will charge you for training AND for the job). Oh, you will get CRM training after you are hired, but it must be that airline's specific course, so you can't get it out of the way in advance.

 

Correct, CRM training is required by the faa, but paying for it before you get hired is a waste of money. No one will accept that and say "Ok since you have had CRM you dont have to do it here, dont worry about coming to class tomorrow!" yeah right. They wont even ask you about that in your interview. If you interview at skywest they do a crm scenario. Each of them are different and they aren't looking for you to Complete the scenario, or do everything right. They are seeing command authority for the guy playing captain, and assertiveness with respect from the fo's. If you are the jupseater or the dispatcher you pretty much get a free ride. they usually give that spot to people who already fly 121. So to summerize. dont pay for crm training, or crj type ratings or anything of the sort. The most it will give you is an extra line on the resume that they really aren't going to pay attention to.

 

Thanks for your responses. My local community college offers a course related to CRM (Group Dynamics: Teams Under Stress). Was simply curious if an interviewer would care if I had taken it. I figured the regional airline would pick this up under their own specific course and appearantly they do. Thanks.

 

Why would you want to spend money on a course that apparently 8 hours of cheesy video's can teach you while in training anyways?