Why is a degree important to Airline Pilots??
05-20-2014, 05:03 AM
#31
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Joined APC: Feb 2014
Position: 737-Right
Posts: 781
Not this old chestnut again..
They want degrees because they want educated intelligent people. This is not a trade as some will suggest. Obviously, in most cases a four year degree does not translate to literal piloting instruction, but higher learning helps cultivate the critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills that this job demands. Obviously these traits are not absolutely necessary to pass a PC or to build the minimum skills that are required to steer an airplane, but companies like Delta and American don't want the bare minimum, they want the best possible applicant. It's not necessary to have a degree to acquire the skills required for the job, but having a degree is expected of a professional pilot. There are while collar pilots and there are blue collar pilots in respect to attitude and demeanor. Legacies hire white collar pilots.
You could teach someone without a degree how to perform surgery if they were smart enough and you gave the proper instruction, but that's not how the world works, see where I'm going with this?
There are people who will disagree with me and say that I'm full of it or I'm giving the profession too much credit, which is fine. Let them feel that way. A good attitude and respect for the job goes a long way in this business.
They want degrees because they want educated intelligent people. This is not a trade as some will suggest. Obviously, in most cases a four year degree does not translate to literal piloting instruction, but higher learning helps cultivate the critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills that this job demands. Obviously these traits are not absolutely necessary to pass a PC or to build the minimum skills that are required to steer an airplane, but companies like Delta and American don't want the bare minimum, they want the best possible applicant. It's not necessary to have a degree to acquire the skills required for the job, but having a degree is expected of a professional pilot. There are while collar pilots and there are blue collar pilots in respect to attitude and demeanor. Legacies hire white collar pilots.
You could teach someone without a degree how to perform surgery if they were smart enough and you gave the proper instruction, but that's not how the world works, see where I'm going with this?
There are people who will disagree with me and say that I'm full of it or I'm giving the profession too much credit, which is fine. Let them feel that way. A good attitude and respect for the job goes a long way in this business.
05-20-2014, 05:56 AM
#32
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Joined APC: Jan 2009
Position: Airbus 319/320 Captain
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John Locke spelled it out correctly. It's the same reason the military requires officers to have a bachelors degree. It doesn't matter so much what the degree is in, the basic learning and critical thinking skills are the desired attributes, and those attributes are expressed on paper with a bachelors degree. The military is even taking it a step further and "requiring" officers to get a masters degree in order to get promoted to Major, which happens around the 8 year mark. They don't care what the degree is in, just that you did the work and improved your learning, research and analytical thought processes.
I guess that's a heads up to the rest of the flying world that most of the military pilots getting out now have masters degrees as well as bachelors.
I guess that's a heads up to the rest of the flying world that most of the military pilots getting out now have masters degrees as well as bachelors.
05-20-2014, 07:52 AM
#34
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05-21-2014, 09:58 AM
#36
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05-28-2014, 09:00 PM
#37
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Joined APC: Feb 2014
Posts: 71
John Locke spelled it out correctly. It's the same reason the military requires officers to have a bachelors degree. It doesn't matter so much what the degree is in, the basic learning and critical thinking skills are the desired attributes, and those attributes are expressed on paper with a bachelors degree. The military is even taking it a step further and "requiring" officers to get a masters degree in order to get promoted to Major, which happens around the 8 year mark. They don't care what the degree is in, just that you did the work and improved your learning, research and analytical thought processes.
I guess that's a heads up to the rest of the flying world that most of the military pilots getting out now have masters degrees as well as bachelors.
I guess that's a heads up to the rest of the flying world that most of the military pilots getting out now have masters degrees as well as bachelors.
05-29-2014, 05:37 AM
#38
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That's pretty funny. During my 20 years in the infantry, reconnaissance and special operations I had to hold the hand of quite a few officers. Don't try to fool yourself into believing that a college degree magically turns you into this thing that people desire. Degrees are a dime a dozen.
05-29-2014, 05:57 AM
#39
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Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 40,044
John Locke spelled it out correctly. It's the same reason the military requires officers to have a bachelors degree. It doesn't matter so much what the degree is in, the basic learning and critical thinking skills are the desired attributes, and those attributes are expressed on paper with a bachelors degree. The military is even taking it a step further and "requiring" officers to get a masters degree in order to get promoted to Major, which happens around the 8 year mark. They don't care what the degree is in, just that you did the work and improved your learning, research and analytical thought processes.
I guess that's a heads up to the rest of the flying world that most of the military pilots getting out now have masters degrees as well as bachelors.
I guess that's a heads up to the rest of the flying world that most of the military pilots getting out now have masters degrees as well as bachelors.
That's pretty funny. During my 20 years in the infantry, reconnaissance and special operations I had to hold the hand of quite a few officers. Don't try to fool yourself into believing that a college degree magically turns you into this thing that people desire. Degrees are a dime a dozen.
You both have some misconceptions.
Junior officers don't really need a degree for small-unit tactical leadership, a good experienced NCO can cover that just fine.
But the military wants officers to have degrees because very senior officers in high-level leadership and staff roles absolutely need a solid educational background, both to do the job and interact with other agencies and politicians.But the military doesn't hire those guys off the street...for the protection of the troops on the ground they require the senior leadership to come up through the ranks and get at least a minimal understanding of what that's all about. Otherwise you'd just have a bunch of eggheads sipping cognac and playing "Risk" with other people's lives. History (if you've bothered to read it) shows you that many European armies in times past were lead by non-qualified aristocrats who had purchased their rank...with predictable results.
A good NCO knows that he's actually training his junior officers, and if he does that well it will pay dividends when the JO reaches higher command.
BTW, all the SOF officers that I knew were pretty good at checking their degree at the door when it came time to operate. Maybe not some much in the conventional world.
05-29-2014, 08:09 AM
#40
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Joined APC: Aug 2010
Position: 747 CA
Posts: 344
I am really grateful for all the good NCO's that held my hand over the years. It is amazing what you get people to do when you actually practice the leadership they taught you.
I would have thought that a Special Forces guy would have understood all of that...
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