FedEx and the College degree

[pilotyip]

No but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express once

 

[800Dog]

Why I think $100k is not much of an annual salary:

Yip, my friend ... it's 2006, not 1976 ... for starters ... $55k for a family of 4 in CA makes you eligible for state government assistance. With median home prices nearing $700k in many desirable places, a $100k income locks you into some nasty neighborhoods and underperforming school districts.

If you want a choice between surfing and skiing on your days off (is there anything else in life worth pursuing? ) then you'll require more than $100k a year.

College nowadays is $40k per year at many private universities and it's tough to buy a decent new vehicle for less than $25k.

On the other hand, I'm sure $100k stretches quite a bit further in much less desirable places to live (statistically speaking) such as Ypsilanti

If you're going to compete for housing/school districts/quality of life enhancements anywhere near a coast, sorry to break the news, but $100k will leave you on the outside looking in.

I say choke every last dollar out of management because you're worth it! Fly ... because it beats digging ditches!

BBB

Well said. I have lived in ATL all my life and cannot afford to live in the nice areas of town that have the best public schools. 100k is peanuts for a family of four considering you must save for retirement, children's education and housing costs. I would say 100k is a good income for a single person with no kids. I have been priced out of the attractive parts of town with the latest round of paycuts.

 

[Fletch F Fletch]

The way I see it (after three Guinness), getting an airline job requires a lot of boxes to get checked: the Radio Telephone Operators Permit and an ATP license. Those were just two of many. So why should a college degree be any different? Yeah, I've never actually used my degree to fly an approach, but if they say they want it, then not getting it only hurts you. There are plenty of other dudes willing to do whatever it takes. I don't see the need for the debate. Until you're the one who makes the rules, you either follow them or get in the unemployment line. And sometimes, you still have to get into the unemployment line.

 

[Gregorio]

Very few career fields out there make much use of the knowledge gained during the course of study at a four year college. Take any field, nursing, pharmacy, teaching, business, etc.; the day to day operations you will be doing in those jobs are all learned from on the job training, not sitting in a classroom. Virtually any of these jobs could be done by someone straight out of high school with a year's worth of training in the job environment. College is there to educate you, it's not a trade school. Flying is no different, not much is learned in college that directly applies to operating an airliner, but that's true of most jobs. With rare exception, you're not qualified for anything when you graduate college, it's just a starting point.

Fedex and other carriers have decided that they want a certain level of education in their pilot group. Whether or not you agree with that decision is not up to you, it's been decided by the company with which you are seeking employment. The energy spent complaining about that decision would be better spent by obtaining that college degree.

References to Bill Gates and Sam Walton are silly, they started their own businesses, they didn't work for anyone but themselves and they were smart enough to produce a product/service that made people want to spend money. If you don't like an airline's requirements for employment then you're free to start your own company and set the hiring requirements.

It's good to be the King.