Quote:
Originally Posted by Airdale  My point was, that while my fellow high school grads were pissing their parents money away while getting drunk every night on a college campus working on a BS degree - some of us were growing up, fighting wars, doing Law Enforcement, protecting America both overseas, on the high seas and at home. Yet nobody (meaning HR people) gives a crap about that.
"Do you have a degree?"
"No"
"Why not?"
"Because my parents couldn't afford to send me to college, so at the age of 20 I decided to join the service. I proudly served my Country for 4 years, going through countless hours of training and discipline to conduct Law Enforcement, Search and Seizure of Illegal weapons and drugs, Search and Rescue, Environmental Protection and Escorting Naval War Ships. But, I have $50,000 from the military for College that I plan on using."
"OH."
I think every "kid" should spend a few years in the military. They teach you life skills, not have you read a stupid book and write a report on why the author chose to write the book.  |
Having spent 4 years in college and 4 years in the military, I say they both add great qualities to a well-rounded person. Try the best of
both worlds--go to college while serving in the national guard/reserves. Personally, I didn't join the military until after college, but we have folks in my unit who do both at the same time and they're first rate kids well ahead of their peers. It might take an extra couple of years to graduate when factoring in deployments, etc, but it'll make you that much more marketable at 23-24 versus 21-22. Hell, maybe your unit will send you to flight school if that's what you want to do.
Many posts here seem to relect a gross generalization of college students who are "spending daddy's money and drinking beer", from those who haven't been to college nor undersand the difference between "Education" and "Training". Conversely, these are those with the degree who see "no advantage" with military experience/training. Having both backgrounds, I respect both paths in life. The college experience is (as a traditional freshman at a traditional school pursuing a real degree) is an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. It's not just about going to class and studying for tests (or drinking beer). There's a whole "other education" that involves getting involved in the university lifestyle and building yourself as a person--that's what I think the university education is really about. As far as "getting drunk every night" is concerned, honestly I've seen way more drinking in the military than I ever did in college (although both places are notorious for that vice). Of course, the military will give you unmatched real-life experiences, an opportunity to serve your country and build a sense of disipline and honor, and countless opportunities for leadership developlment. But don't discount the value of the education--there's a reason you need a degree to be a commissioned officer.
If all major airlines don't require the degree yet, they definitely should. Yes, among other purposes it is a discriminator that helps weed down the stacks of resumes. Despite the "pilot shortage", there's never a shortage of people with shiny jet syndrome wanting to be pilots (at least not at the places anyone would want to work). Maybe there's a shortage of "well qualified" pilots, especially at the regional level, but that's another issue. The two most important factors in getting a job are timing and networking. Seniority drives everything else. So, if you're in a position to get a job at a good regional and get that seniority number without a degree, then more power to you. But, ultimately, get that degree if you want to or have to someday move on (inside or outside of aviation). I've never met someone with a college degree who regrets it.