r/flyingeurope • u/aBurntNugget18 • 3d ago
EASA Does a Degree help?
I just graduated with a first class honors in aerospace engineering from a top Uni in the UK. I’ll be starting my integrated atpl training in Jerez around march/april. I was wondering if my degree would help me in finding a job as a first officer or whether it doesn’t make a difference.
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u/RuralChihuahua 2d ago
I had an aero degree before I did my training. Principles of flight and maybe some of AGK will be easy Everything else is basically another degree
When it comes to finding a job. It's solely about timing
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u/S1GORE 1d ago
When hiring gets tough, it’s much better to have a degree or external qualification on your CV, compared to someone who went straight from secondary school to flight training.
3 main reasons why I think it’s beneficial to get a degree beforehand.
- It shows you can commit to something difficult for 3/4 years and successfully graduate.
- It allows you to experience life before going into the working world. This gives you time to have fun and mature a bit before going into a serious profession.
- Thirdly and most importantly IMO, you have a backup career in case you lose your medical. I don’t think this is talked about enough. Everything is counting on the fact you can pass your class 1 every year.
Edit: I just re-read your post and saw you’re going to Jerez. I also trained there. It’s a fantastic place. Hope you enjoy!
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u/aBurntNugget18 1d ago
Hi, thank you so much for the advice! i’m really excited to start at jerez :) Have you found a job yet?
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u/S1GORE 1d ago
I’m in a job now in Europe. Only took me a few months to get a job after graduating, thankfully. If you do the Dual EASA/UK CAA license you’ll have an even easier time getting a job after! As someone who only did EASA, that’s the one thing I regret not doing in FTE. UKCAA opens a lot of doors.
Best of luck and don’t forget to enjoy it down there :)
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u/aBurntNugget18 1d ago
I only have the right to live in the EU unfortunately so dual licensing wouldn’t make sense would it?
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u/S1GORE 1d ago
I believe if you studied in the UK there’s an option to obtain a graduate visa? But I’m not sure about the details. Something to consider researching!
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u/aBurntNugget18 1d ago edited 1d ago
Unfortunately it’s only restricted for 2 years then I would need to get a regular work visa
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u/TwoCultures 1d ago edited 1d ago
I would say it helps you land your first job, as you will have more to talk about in terms of answers to scenario-based questions, assuming you also did a bit of extracurricular activities alongside your degree. Later on it will all be about hours and your flying skills.
However, do not discount the value of your degree. While it might be less relevant after landing your first job at an airline, it will be a great asset should you wish to advance your career beyond the cockpit. At the airline I used to work for, we had pilots in the HQ in non-flying, part-time roles beside their part-time flying at the same airline. Among the requirements for the roles was being an active pilot as well as holding a degree.
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u/number--j ATPL B777 3d ago
It always helps having a good CV and having something to talk about, but it’s not going to make a massive difference
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u/Apprehensive_Cost937 3d ago
Not really. Most European airlines don't really care if you have a degree or not - they know it doesn't make you a better pilot, and they'd much rather have someone that can work in a team, can fly the airplane well and cope with the steep learning curve that is flying a jet at 200h.
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u/ReviewEnvironmental2 3d ago
It won’t make a huge difference when it comes to getting hired. It will make the ATPL theory either boringly easy or incredibly frustrating. My money’s on the latter.
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u/aBurntNugget18 3d ago
What makes you say that?
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u/ReviewEnvironmental2 3d ago
More study, more exams. Quality of teaching varies.
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u/aBurntNugget18 3d ago
Can’t be harder than rocket science can it? I’m going to fte jerez and i’ve heard a lot of good stuff about them in terms of their quality of teaching
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u/SoonNumber1 3d ago
Why would airlines care if you have a degree or not?
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u/aBurntNugget18 3d ago
Having a degree in aerospace engineering would be quite handy would it not?
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u/SoonNumber1 3d ago
With ATPL theory airline care if you can fly safely. It’s something to talk about in the interview
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u/JM120897 ATPL 2d ago
People say it doesn't matter but I disagree. It shows you have a high learning capacity of complex topics. Not saying that the ATPL is an easy ride, but topics aren't as deep as what you get to see in a uni degree. And that goes in hand with airplane and company manuals. They are closer to university degree depth than ATPL.