College Question

[bbq smoker]

OK guys, have a question for ya'll:

I am currently working on my instrument and took a cross-country from GTU up to the DFW metroplex to see some friends and family earlier this week. Spent some time with an old roommate from College who is a CFI up in that area...in fact he is one of the guys who persuaded me to get back in the cockpit and go for what I want....a really good guy and a great friend. Anyway, I started thinking on my way back to Central Texas what kind of chance does he have? Short story is, when we were in college in the late 90's, he was a party animal and failed out Senior year and never went back. How would an airline look at that? I asked him about it, and he isn't worried since he just went to work for his folks and had a successful sales career with their business for the last 6 years. He's wanting to hit the regionals in a few months, and I wondered how they view that? I think he should at least try and finish something online at least, but it bugged me since we are friends, and I don't know if he's chasing something that just may not happen? Should I stay on him to do something to finish? Stupid questions I know, but it just made me wonder.....

 

[pilotyip]

Most airlines do not care about a college degree, good airlines like SWA, AirTran, JetBlue do let the absence of degree stand in the way of hiring the right pilot.

 

[dogismycopilot]

Majors care, regionals don't.

 

[pilotyip]

Jetblue, Airtran, SWA, not majors?

 

[bubbers44]

The majors haven't been hiring in five years for the most part so when they get all their furloughed people back we will see what they require as far as college. Most of my friends are about to retire from a major without degrees. We were hired over 20 years ago. I think your friend will be fine either way. If I was hiring I would take a guy with good regional experience before hiring a guy with a degree and little real experience.

 

[FN FAL]

If I was hiring I would take a guy with good regional experience before hiring a guy with a degree and little real experience.

The only "good regional" is FedEx Feeder Aircraft Operations and no, we're not sending out resumes at this time.

 

[smellthejeta]

The only "good regional" is FedEx Feeder Aircraft Operations and no, we're not sending out resumes at this time.

Are you accepting them?

 

[wt219200]

The only "good regional" is FedEx Feeder Aircraft Operations and no, we're not sending out resumes at this time.

Fn Fal I think you are on every thread in this forum.
Anyway, Fed Ex feeder routes are good for some but no multi time. What happens when you have 2000 hours and 100 multi because you flew a Caravan for the past 3 years? Will that next company just look past you not meeting their mins?

Back to the original subject, I have a college degree and I don't see any difference in having one or not.

 

[MalteseX]

It's a competition for jobs. The more "squares" you have filled, the better.
College is not a detractor from getting a job.

If you have a degree, great. Not having a degree is less competitive.
Recruiters may view "Flunking" out as worse than never having attended. Flunking out can be viewed as irresponsible--not a trait that companies want. Others may not care.

Many airlines don't care; some require a degree.

It's a gamble; the more you have going into an interview, the more competitive you are.

 

[CX880]

The fact is that nobody knows. It's all about the times. Right now you can't find a good job with no degree because there's competition for the few jobs available. Some airlines such as Fedex/UPS take it to the extreme and do not hire anybody without a degree. Others such as SWA or Airtran still give a window for non 4year degree guys to interview. If a lot of airlines start hiring then the college degree requirement will be relaxed. I dissagree with the post above, some college is better than no college, that shows that at least you're not a retard who failed high school.

 

[pilotyip]

Not as important in the future

There is an existing worldwide shortage of qualified pilots that has not yet shown up in the US. As the pool of quality pilots continues to be absorbed by hiring, the need to fill slots will be driven by qualifications over the college degree. It is already starting at the bottom; weather it will ever drift up to the FedEx level is unknown. But in the next few years the college degree will become less important in selection at most airlines. Remember that right now great airlines like SWA, AirTran and JetBlue do not let the absence of a degree stand in the way of hiring the right pilot.

 

[FN FAL]

Fn Fal I think you are on every thread in this forum.
Anyway, Fed Ex feeder routes are good for some but no multi time. What happens when you have 2000 hours and 100 multi because you flew a Caravan for the past 3 years? Will that next company just look past you not meeting their mins?

First of all, you'll need to have at least 2,000 PIC to apply for PIC 208 at the feeders, I don't know what they ask for on the FO new hires.

Yes, a person who only meets mins when they hire on at the feeders will have a problem if they choose to move on with their single engine turbine experience and 100 hours multi. That is a fact of commercial aviation life.

Back to the original subject, I have a college degree and I don't see any difference in having one or not.

It depends on whether you went to college to get the degree or to learn something. There's more to life than just checking off boxes on airline applications.

 

[CX880]

There is an existing worldwide shortage of qualified pilots that has not yet shown up in the US. As the pool of quality pilots continues to be absorbed by hiring, the need to fill slots will be driven by qualifications over the college degree. It is already starting at the bottom; weather it will ever drift up to the FedEx level is unknown. But in the next few years the college degree will become less important in selection at most airlines. Remember that right now great airlines like SWA, AirTran and JetBlue do not let the absence of a degree stand in the way of hiring the right pilot.

There are 600,000 licensed pilots in the U.S, obviosly only a small percentage are professional pilots but still that is a significant number. I don't think a shortage will ever show up here in the U.S. Therefore I don't think the degree will be as less important as you say.

 

[-9Capt]

Yip,

After almost 9 years here, I have yet to meet a single AirTan pilot who doesn't have a college degree.

 

[pilotyip]

I only know what the recruiters tell me, 121 ck airman time will get you in without a degree.

 

[cherry20's]

I have only met one person without a degree at any Major Airline, and it was at American Airlines of all places. Daddy was a senior Capt there too. Have known people that interviewed at Southwest without one, but didn't get the job.

 

[pilotyip]

Cherry, you are looking hard enought, Air Inc gives the stats, 15% at Jetblue, 4% at AirTran, 6% at SWA, Spirit well no stats but it is high.

 

[bubbers44]

Cherry, I recently retired at American and personally knew over 50 that didn't have a college degree, including me. Since over 50% were military that would make the degree % higher but they did not require a degree five years ago when they last hired.

 

[SOKO-JET]

I don't think you can realistically say that because somebody was hired at AA 30 years ago without a college degree then that serves as proof that you don't need one today. This is a different era and there are currently more then enough pilots to pick and choose from. I know many pilots that are more then qualified with PIC twin turbine time, total time, previous 121, college degree, no history of incidents, accidents or violations, no failed checkrides, internal recs, yada, yada, yada... totally clean, qualified pilots who still don't get the interview and many of which when they do get the interview don't get the job the first time. However, I don't know one single pilot that doesn't have a college degree that did make the jump to the majors. Not saying it doesn't happen... I just don't know the guy it happened to. I guarantee that the guy it does happen to though has some kind of very good connection.
And while I might admit that airlines such as Jetblue and Airtran are majors I would add that they are bottom of the barrel majors. Most of my friends that are still trying to make the leap from the left seat at companies like Comair and Air Whiskey won't bat an eye at those companies considering them too much of a lateral move. This is not an insult to the many talented JB and AT guys on this bored. It simply means that their contract is not yet up to par with Fedex, UPS, Southwest... and so on. Why jump at the first major that checks you out. If you've got the criteria met then don't settle for anything less then what you consider to be the best in terms of future, job security, contract and domicile. But if you don't have your college education then you probably should count yourself lucky to get on with Jetblue and Airtran.

 

[pilotyip]

Thanks SoKo, that might keep the competition down for some truly good jobs at AT, JB, etc.