Good credentials, but bad timing for job
01-04-2014, 07:39 AM
#21
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Position: BE350 PIC
Posts: 624
When the economy tanks and everyone is furloughed you will wish you had a degree outside of aviation. Aviation degrees are not worth the paper they are printed on. Trust me I have one. Any banker will show you the door when asking for a business loan. The first thing they asked me was if I had a business/finance/accounting degree. Pilots are only good for flying airplanes, make yourself more marketable.
When I got out and NOBODY was hiring (well, at least not hiring me) my engineering degree was paying the mortgage, because my ability to land a large turboprop on a moving ship no longer was.
01-04-2014, 11:26 AM
#22
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2011
Position: Volleyball Player
Posts: 4,024
I never understood why people recommend getting a degree unrelated to Aviation and paying for additional credits in college... especially when Universities like UVU and Embry-Riddle give you 36-40 credits for pilot certificates and flying experience towards an Aviation degree. I have 2 Aviation degrees - undergraduate in Professional Aeronautics and graduate degree in Aeronautical Science, and currently work as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Embry-Riddle. If you lose your medical, an undergrad degree in Finance or Business is not going to get you a job in that respective field, without any experience. With an Aviation degree, and aviation experience, you can market yourself in the training department or other Aviation fields. Even the new ATP rules allow you to get an ATP with fewer hours (than 1500), if you earn an Aviation degree and receive flight training from a 141 school. Bottom line, earn your CFI and get a college degree.
Now, you are correct that people limit themselves. Most pilots think that piloting is the only thing in aviation that they can do, rather than something else that will pay bills and possibly even allow owning an airplane. So it depends, I think not having the master's tied to aviation is a good idea, but again, if you are willing to expand your horizons, you can usually find something in the field. Again though, the issue seems to be the carrot of one day "flying for a major".
No degree "gets you a job", not even an aviation one. You are likely going to have to work up from the bottom still and gain experience/similar experience before getting to the one that will be stable in the long run.
01-04-2014, 06:36 PM
#24
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jun 2009
Posts: 18
I never understood why people recommend getting a degree unrelated to Aviation and paying for additional credits in college... especially when Universities like UVU and Embry-Riddle give you 36-40 credits for pilot certificates and flying experience towards an Aviation degree. I have 2 Aviation degrees - undergraduate in Professional Aeronautics and graduate degree in Aeronautical Science, and currently work as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Embry-Riddle. If you lose your medical, an undergrad degree in Finance or Business is not going to get you a job in that respective field, without any experience. With an Aviation degree, and aviation experience, you can market yourself in the training department or other Aviation fields. Even the new ATP rules allow you to get an ATP with fewer hours (than 1500), if you earn an Aviation degree and receive flight training from a 141 school. Bottom line, earn your CFI and get a college degree.
01-05-2014, 06:34 PM
#26
Captain who?
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Position: Backseat
Posts: 47
It depends, unless someone else is paying for it, those schools are ridiculously overpriced. Yes, they try to do a good job, but at the end of the day you don't walin aviationinto a 747 cockpit after graduation, despite all the classes you took teaching you about advanced transport category systems, FMSs and international navigation. If you did, then maybe you'd have something there and just maybe it'd be worth the $150K of debt. It's not like becoming a doctor where you have a fairly assured "path" that sticks to a reasonable timeline.
Now, you are correct that people limit themselves. Most pilots think that piloting is the only thing in aviation that they can do, rather than something else that will pay bills and possibly even allow owning an airplane. So it depends, I think not having the master's tied to aviation is a good idea, but again, if you are willing to expand your horizons, you can usually find something in the field. Again though, the issue seems to be the carrot of one day "flying for a major".
No degree "gets you a job", not even an aviation one. You are likely going to have to work up from the bottom still and gain experience/similar experience before getting to the one that will be stable in the long run.
Now, you are correct that people limit themselves. Most pilots think that piloting is the only thing in aviation that they can do, rather than something else that will pay bills and possibly even allow owning an airplane. So it depends, I think not having the master's tied to aviation is a good idea, but again, if you are willing to expand your horizons, you can usually find something in the field. Again though, the issue seems to be the carrot of one day "flying for a major".
No degree "gets you a job", not even an aviation one. You are likely going to have to work up from the bottom still and gain experience/similar experience before getting to the one that will be stable in the long run.
Here is a extremely good article I stumbled upon today. Not trying to avoid college here but I do agree that $100k in the hole isn't for me. There are many people out there without a degree and I just do not see the college route in my sight when I can get the same hours doing CFI. Some jobs may require a BS degree but oh well, there any plenty more that don't.
01-05-2014, 07:34 PM
#29
Line Holder
Joined APC: Mar 2010
Position: In the psychologist seat.
Posts: 42
Lots of really good advice here, stick to instructing. No shortcuts... It's about the journey and not the destination and every bit of knowledge will help you be a better colleague. I am about to turn 25yo, upgrade is about 1.5yr or less at my 121 regional. Education is very important but even more the pressure of "checking the box" which is why I'm hoping to start my aeronautical science degree this year(about 30credits less which means less debt!!!) Coming up on third year pay at my carrier and just now can barely get by...I got all my instructor ratings and it was the best decision I could have ever made. Like EMAW said, it will greatly teach you about yourself, and improve your CRM skills. At work I can almost tell after a couple flights who instructed and who didn't, being the ex-cfi's the ones with greater CRM skills in many aspects of the operation. Of course there are always exceptions. Good luck in whatever your decision may be, stay out of debt as long as you can and keep a positive attitude!!
Last edited by gilz16; 01-05-2014 at 07:44 PM.
01-09-2014, 09:38 AM
#30
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: EMB-170 FO
Posts: 383
Not trying to avoid college here but I do agree that $100k in the hole isn't for me. There are many people out there without a degree and I just do not see the college route in my sight when I can get the same hours doing CFI. Some jobs may require a BS degree but oh well, there any plenty more that don't.
I paid LESS THAN $23k for my undergrad from Embry-Riddle when I graduated in 2003. And no, I didn't go to the Daytona or Prescott campus. I went to the Extended Campus in Orlando while working as a CFI. BOTH my Undergraduate and Graduate degrees from Embry-Riddle were less than $50k together. At Embry-Riddle... att $325 per credit hour, the entire B.S. in Aeronautics degree with 90 credits would be $30,000... assuming a pilot gets 30 credits for aviation experience. There are MANY other avenues out there for a college degree without being $100k in the hole with student loans. But it's not just about the money, it takes work to finish any degree. A 4 year degree is the new high school diploma. Every one has at least one, especially if one plans on being competitive.
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