To finish a degree? Yes or no?

[Hedley]

your degree has an expiry period

Argh. Again, a complete misunderstanding of what a University does. You do NOT go to University and get a degree in welding or truck driving.

Universities do NOT provide vocational training. If they do, they really aren't a University - they're a community college that's pushed some paper and is fooling their students.

You don't get a degree to please anyone else. Not a fat cow in HR, not a shop foreman. You get a degree for YOUR benefit.

I don't know how to explain this any better.

I did an engineering degree. I was really good for me, I think, but did it make me more employable as a pilot? Nope.

If all you want to do in life is weld or operate heavy equipment like a bulldozer or an Airbus, a University degree is not the vocational training that you require, to do so.

[Typhoon]

Hmm interesting. Hedley, or anyone else for that matter, say you didn't use your degree for 10 years, would you still be employable in the field that your degree is in, if you needed to use it?

[SunWuKong]

Flybabe:

My comment was not a personal attack against you

I never took your post as a personal attack against me.

I just beleive some of you guys misunderstood the issue here in this topic. It 's not a basic question about getting an education or not, it's about typhoon not willing to do what he has just been trained for, all of that in an hiring environment we have not seen for years.


Typhoon, something is wrong somewhere. There is a problem of logic, a problem of decision making.

Your process is, when I read your post:
-I start a degree
-I stop it to get a CPL
-It's hiring but I come back to university in case I don't find a job
-Then come back years later in aviation to be a pilot with a 3 years old CPL and no experience.

In your case, thinking you really need to get a back up plan will be a self-fulfilling prophecy I am afraid.

My honest advice: to be a pilot (if this is what you really want), you need to work more on your motivation and your decision making abilities than on your degree, it's vital. That's why I told you in my first post to stabilize you path, maintain your heading at least for some time if you want to go somewhere.

Hedley and complexintentions have a nice approach in this matter.

[Typhoon]

SunWuKong,

I appreciate your advice, but I think you're missing the premise of my point for getting a degree... I've injured myself (fairly significantly) and I'm unsure how long I'll be able to hold a medical for (who knows, that may be forever), or if I'll be able to complete the required duties in an entry level position (ie, lifting). I would hate to lose my medical say 5 years from now, or realize I'm unable to complete my job fully due to my underlying injury and have nothing to fall back on.

You have valid points about the industry hiring, I'm not disagreeing with you, and it would suck to have to miss out on that to go back to school, so I'm sure there is a way to possibly instruct part time / full time in the summer between school years so I'm able to build experience and keep myself recent. Flying is what I want to do, it's what I've always wanted to do since being a young kid. However, my health takes presidence over any of my dreams. I'm young, and would hate to do something stupid/foolish to impress an employer and suffer the consequences for the rest of my life.

After meeting with a transport doctor, my entry choices into the industry have already been drastically reduced to that of someone without the same injury, so I figure if I don't manage to land a gig somewhere for the season, I may as well further my education while still looking for that entry position.

[SunWuKong]

Typhoon, you are welcome.

so I figure if I don't manage to land a gig somewhere for the season, I may as well further my education while still looking for that entry position.

It seems good. Looking for a job ask commitment sometimes... I mean you have to beleive in it.
I understand you still have your medical, but you think for not too long... Sure that's not easy to think clearly like that. This accident happened before your CPL?

If you are 100% sure you want to be a pilot: go ahead now, you already spent your money in your CPL, and apparently you won't be able to do it for too long. When you lose you medical then you do something else.
But if you are not sure you have this motivation, better to get immediately an other career maybe.

Pay attention not going back and forth too much, and don't hesitate for too long. If you went out to meet some CP instead of posting on avcanada writing "the industry is not doing well, what should I do?", maybe your problem would be solved now.

Good luck, I understand it's not easy.

[SunWuKong]

Meet Jessica Cox (no arms), maybe she can inspire you concerning your health probs. Cheers.