Diploma/GED and a ramp/CSA job.

[jd117]

So here's my story, and hopefully somebody might be able to shed some light here. I was homeschooled all through my high school years (yeah, pretty damn rough with the exception of being able to fly while everyone else was in school). Right now I would be a senior in H.S. Since I don't get an actual diploma I'll have to get my GED. I had planned on getting it last year for a ramp job at my local airport with a regional, but due to procrastination and a few other factors including all of the job postings for CSA/ramp worker at the airport disappearing I've yet to earn my GED. It seems like all of the airlines list a high school diploma/GED as a requirement with one exception. Republic if I recall correctly. At the moment I know two (soon to be three) people who can recommend me internally at one of the airlines that's hiring locally. The only problem is the last time I had someone recommend me, the most they got was the supervisor telling them to tell me to fill out an application online. I'm not sure what I expected but it seems like I could have gotten that far without knowing anyone at the company. Currently I'm working line service at a local FBO, which isn't bad considering I make about 8 cents more than what the airline would pay me, but the hours suck, there aren't any flight benefits, and I doubt there's any health benefits to pumping hundreds of gallons of leaded fuel everyday. I apologise for being so long winded, but does anyone know if the airlines are die-hard set on me having a GED before they'll even consider hiring me? I have experience marshalling, towing, and fueling (although I haven't fueled anything via single-point method yet). Does anyone know if there's a law that states that I would have to have this to work on the ramp/at the gate? I should add that I plan on taking my GED within the next month, I'm just not confident about the mathematics section (I've always struggled with math). The rest of the tests are a cake walk. In addition to my own hesitation I've heard that the results take anywhere from a day to several weeks to come back (it's hard to pinpoint an exact answer by searching). I'd really like to go ahead and try to get this job since it seems like the positions are filling pretty quickly.
Thanks for any insight. Again, sorry for such a long post.

 

[RPJ]

Take and pass the GED, simple as that. You will need the GED to attend a university, qualify for student loans, enter the military and any other job you plan on getting in the future.

Remember, the key to learning is pure motivation. If you have trouble in the math portion of the GED test, go take GED prep classes. Do whatever you must do to get a passing score on the tests.

 

[Roger, Roger]

Take and pass the GED, simple as that. You will need the GED to attend a university.

Not true. I was homeschooled, never even came within spitting distance of a GED test, and still got accepted to all 3 of the colleges I applied to (2 private, one public).

 

[jd117]

Take and pass the GED, simple as that. You will need the GED to attend a university, qualify for student loans, enter the military and any other job you plan on getting in the future.

Remember, the key to learning is pure motivation. If you have trouble in the math portion of the GED test, go take GED prep classes. Do whatever you must do to get a passing score on the tests.

I intend to take it, it's just a matter of preparing for it and then waiting for the test results. But these job postings don't exactly last forever (I know 2 people that got callbacks within a day). I'm just kind of curious if the supervisors knew my situation if they'd maybe hire me and give me a few weeks to get the GED squared away. I'm just kind of curious if there's a legal thing that would keep them from hiring me without a GED.

 

[RPJ]

Not true. I was homeschooled, never even came within spitting distance of a GED test, and still got accepted to all 3 of the colleges I applied to (2 private, one public).

You must of applied to schools that have an exception. I will tell you for fact that the vast majority of universities will not honor home schooling outright.

I also don't understand your logic. Why would you not want to take a test, a one day test at that, to vastly expand your options in life?

I'm just kind of curious if there's a legal thing that would keep them from hiring me without a GED.

It's not a legal thing. If a company chooses to set their minimum education standards at a HS diploma or equivalent (GED or state HS equivalence exam) then thats the company's prerogative. Unless you can get them to make an exception or "look over" it, you must have the minimums.

 

[Roger, Roger]

You must of applied to schools that have an exception. I will tell you for fact that the vast majority of universities will not honor home schooling outright.

I also don't understand your logic. Why would you not want to take a test, a one day test at that, to vastly expand your options in life?

The 2 private schools did. The public university didn't care. I had a history of college classes taken in high school (only 28 credits worth) with very good GPA, so that may have helped.

I didn't want to take it because though smart, I was a lazy highschooler. Also, as previously noted, it had no effect on my college plans.

As far as vastly expanding my options in life, I think my other qualifications now far supersede a GED/"real" HS diploma or lack thereof.

YMMV, though.

 

[RWH1986]

I worked with people on the ramp that never graduated high school. One guy that worked for me everyday even found time to take english classes and get his GED while working. Where and what company are you looking to work for?

 

[RPJ]

The 2 private schools did. The public university didn't care. I had a history of college classes taken in high school (only 28 credits worth) with very good GPA, so that may have helped.

I didn't want to take it because though smart, I was a lazy highschooler. Also, as previously noted, it had no effect on my college plans.

As far as vastly expanding my options in life, I think my other qualifications now far supersede a GED/"real" HS diploma or lack thereof.

YMMV, though.

You obviously don't need the GED because you have taken college classes and moved on. For someone that is of High school age and dropped out, looking for work the GED will expand their chances of success.

 

[jd117]

I worked with people on the ramp that never graduated high school. One guy that worked for me everyday even found time to take english classes and get his GED while working. Where and what company are you looking to work for?

haha wow. It kinda sucks seeing how there's a lot of people on the ramp that don't even care about aviation. The company I'm looking at right now is Comair at SDF.

 

[SJM]

haha wow. It kinda sucks seeing how there's a lot of people on the ramp that don't even care about aviation.

It must suck to be them...If they don't like aviation, then being a ramp guy is probably just another low paying, dead-end job to them.

 

[derg]

It must suck to be them...If they don't like aviation, then being a ramp guy is probably just another low paying, dead-end job to them.

Flushing the blue juice, dealing with pissy flight crews during pushback and loading bags in driving rain?

And no interest in aviation? What were they doing 10 to 15 with a chance of parole at 5 for?

 

[fly4food84]

Speed up your GED, you NEED it.

As far as the ramp rats go, the majority that I've met, which is a lot, have no interest in aviation. I think the flight benefits attract them initially, then they kinda rot where they're at.

I'm going to add my .02 cents here. I much prefer the FBO scene. More jib jab time with pilots, experience with a wide variety of aircraft, better pay, and in most cases a better work environment with flexible scheduling. The only downside is no travel benefits, except if you can bum some right seat time.

 

[derg]

Thanks for the info. News to me!

 

[jd117]

Speed up your GED, you NEED it.

As far as the ramp rats go, the majority that I've met, which is a lot, have no interest in aviation. I think the flight benefits attract them initially, then they kinda rot where they're at.

I'm going to add my .02 cents here. I much prefer the FBO scene. More jib jab time with pilots, experience with a wide variety of aircraft, better pay, and in most cases a better work environment with flexible scheduling. The only downside is no travel benefits, except if you can bum some right seat time.

I'm liking it a lot as well, but the place I work at doesn't have me scheduled for that many hours so while the salary is good, I'm still not making as much money as I would like. The schedule changes often and is pretty random too which is a real pain in the ass for me. As I said I also don't really want to breathe in more 100LL fumes in my lifetime than I really have to. We're also pretty much the janitors, and after 3pm we become the customer service people as well. I love the job, but there are times that I wish I was working for an airline.