VA Airline Training has graduated its first Airline Pilot Standards MCC pilots from the specialist Airline Career Training (ACT) course.
The highly interactive three-day development course both enhances and expands the skills of the graduates to enable them to prepare highly effective airline applications and perform well at subsequent interviews and assessment. It was delivered by experienced airline industry pilot assessment and recruiter, Ruth Spalding.
The new VA ACT course comprises:
- Understanding the airline industry globally
- How to research and identify suitable airline opportunities
- Effective CV presentation and covering letters
- Airline application preparation – how to stand out
- Aptitude and psychometric tests – their function in airline assessment
- Group exercises – enhancing team skills, delegation and problem-solving
- Competency based interviews and feedback – how to best promote skills
- Employability – understanding what makes applicants really employable.
The ACT course design also incorporates two hours of Airline Simulator Assessment Training in either a B737 and A320 simulator. That’s delivered by VA immediately prior to a graduate attending an actual airline assessment at any point up to one year after graduation.
“VA developed our ACT course in partnership with Ruth following extensive feedback from our APS MCC graduates who, whilst feeling very well-prepared technically, still lack confidence in how to perform to the best of their abilities in the human resources aspects of airline application employment assessment,” said Anthony Petteford MD of VA Airline Training.
Ruth Spalding, MD of e2e people, added, “Whilst the media tells us that there is a shortage of pilots, there is still huge competition for low-houred opportunities with the airlines.
“Graduates, therefore, need to be selective, have a great CV that stands out and tailor their approach to every opportunity applied for.
“Our experience is that graduates believe that getting their first flying role is the easy bit, after the pressures of completing their training.
“Sadly, this is not always the case and, through this programme, we hope to give graduates the knowledge, understanding and skills to approach future recruitment and selection with greater confidence and preparation.”
