USA Jet pays for college degree

[2LT]

Tuition Reimbursement

I could be wrong --and probably am-- but didn't USA Jet/Active Aero always have some type of program in place to reimburse employees' tuition expenses? I thought there was something when I was there circa '05-'06? Maybe not...

 

[iaflyer]

I could be wrong --and probably am-- but didn't USA Jet/Active Aero always have some type of program in place to reimburse employees' tuition expenses? I thought there was something when I was there circa '05-'06? Maybe not...

Yeah, they have had it for a number of years - it was there in 2000 when I started there. Very few pilots took advantage of it, and the max payout was only $2500 a year, and you had to pay for the class upfront. Better than nothing, I will admit.

 

[Way2Broke]

Yeah, they have had it for a number of years - it was there in 2000 when I started there. Very few pilots took advantage of it, and the max payout was only $2500 a year, and you had to pay for the class upfront. Better than nothing, I will admit.

Thats why it is called a tuition reimbursement program. All tuition reimbursement programs require that you pay up front and they also require that you complete and pass the classes. I use to throw boxes for UPS and they had a similar program, but USA Jet reimburses more per year than what UPS offered me at the time. I think its a great program. USA Jet seems to really care about their pilots career advancement. The D.O. came and spoke with us during our indoc and more or less said we want you to take the most from your time at USA Jet that you can. More or less USA Jet seems to understand that they are often used as a stepping stone, however they would rather not be stepped on. If you can come here, build expereince, and even get a college degree online while sitting in a motel room on the road or while sitting on call at your house or crash pad I say that is definitely taking the most from your time at USA Jet. Try to find a regional that offers anything like that? Its a dog eat dog world out there in pilot recruitment and retainment these days, anything a company can do to attract pilots to them should be seen as a step in the right direction. Assisting with tuition, paying full pay from day one, paying for relocation expenses, and paying enough first year to own a house in its local area all seem like positive steps to me.

 

[Way2Broke]

I signed up for classes this summer. The paperwork is pretty easy to do and you can take out a Federal Loan and pay the 50% back that the company is reimbursing you at the end of the semester when you get your check. (You have to prove you made a C or better to get the check) Like a previous poster stated the limit is only 2500 bucks. I'm going to a cheap school and I will easily tap out the 2500 bucks. (I wish it was a little closer to 3000 or 3500) Tuition has gone up alot at state schools since I last took a college class in 2000. Either way it is a great benefit and I am glad it is there.

See Ya'll in class.

 

[Way2Broke]

Most pilots already have a degree so they neither know nor care about it. Nice that it's there, but it's not setting the bar.

One of our guys asked me how the system works because he wants to get his Masters. It covers that too. It is a under utilized benefit because, because like you said, most pilots already have a BS and few pilot jobs require a masters. The way I look at it, the market is stagnating and when it opens up again things are going to be very competitive. Every thing you can do to set yourself apart from the next guy is going to help. There is that, and I like learning.

 

[RedGuy]

Most pilots already have a degree so they neither know nor care about it. Nice that it's there, but it's not setting the bar.

I don't know about most pilots. Actually most of the pilots I work with do not have a degree, including myself. Most of us worked our way up from ground support.

 

[TWA]

The pilots that are currently competitive in the job market have college degrees. The guys planted at the top of the seniority lists at the majors, and the kid that sat down in the right seat of an RJ two weeks ago don't have degrees. The top dawgs at the majors don't have degrees because they were not needed when they were initially hired, and the new FOs drank the Delta Connection Kool Aid and decided a first flying job was more important than a proper education. This program makes USA Jet a great stepping stone for the RJ children who actually want to make it somewhere, assuming pilotyip will hire them.

 

[nitefr8dog]

The pilots that are currently competitive in the job market have college degrees. The guys planted at the top of the seniority lists at the majors, and the kid that sat down in the right seat of an RJ two weeks ago don't have degrees. The top dawgs at the majors don't have degrees because they were not needed when they were initially hired, and the new FOs drank the Delta Connection Kool Aid and decided a first flying job was more important than a proper education. This program makes USA Jet a great stepping stone for the RJ children who actually want to make it somewhere, assuming pilotyip will hire them.

For what it is worth ABXAIR offers this to all employees also.

 

[pilotyip]

Use it for anything

The pilots that are currently competitive in the job market have college degrees. The guys planted at the top of the seniority lists at the majors, and the kid that sat down in the right seat of an RJ two weeks ago don't have degrees. The top dawgs at the majors don't have degrees because they were not needed when they were initially hired, and the new FOs drank the Delta Connection Kool Aid and decided a first flying job was more important than a proper education. This program makes USA Jet a great stepping stone for the RJ children who actually want to make it somewhere, assuming pilotyip will hire them.

If it an accredited prgram, tech degree, A&P, dispatchers, etc without a 4 yr degee it can still be used. BTW Hired lots of RJ guys in the last year, so far they love it, pay, time at home, rapid movement into the DC-9 pax operations. BTW not much hiring going on right now, no one is going anywhere.

 

[Way2Broke]

For what it's worth this isn't my first time going to college. I left college after three semesters to go fly. It seems to have worked out pretty well, because not only does all that time transfer, I also get all the experiential credit (30 hours just for that) applied towards the BS. Not to mention I only have to pay for 50 percent of the degree now. If you ask me it saves a ton of money and I'm doing all this while building PIC Jet Time. But then again I'm so far from a "RJ Kid" it's absurd. I come from a part 61 instructing, bank check hauling, 135 402/414 Cape Cod Flying, 121 19 seat flying background. When you got your Commercial around December 2001 you pretty much took whatever flying job you could beg, borrow, or steal. I finally hit it a company with good timing at USA Jet, and I like the Falcon.

The way I look at it my resume is missing 3 things, a company that I have longevity at, PIC Jet time,
and a college degree. USA Jet is doing all three for me right now. Everything on top of that is just icing on the cake.

USA Jet has been good to me so far, and I recommend the place to others if they ask. Of course, I also warn them of the horrors of "The Pager" too. I tell them that if you enter USA Jet with realistic expectations you will be rewarded for your work. If your one of those privileged types this really isn't the type of flying for you. While we don't fly all that much, when we do some of the days are very long, and sometimes I have to push freight. But I get paid extra to push the freight, and I need the money. I can handle this job while I'm young, but I don't think I would want to be doing it 20 years from now. I really have alot of respect for the older folks that do this job. Their work ethic is amazing.