Questions about bachelors degree's, and about where you get your dispatch certificate.

[Graypilot289]

Hello,

I am about to start school back up. I was previously going to college for an aviation degree (flight based) but found out that I have color vision issues and the professional pilot course is no longer an option for me.

I plan to go back to college and finish my four year degree. It will take me about 5 more semesters to finish. I am debating between Accounting/Computer Information Systems and Aviation Management. My end goal is to still get my dispatch certificate and pursue a career in that.

My first question: Does having a bachelor's degree give you a leg up on getting hired at a regional/major over someone who does not? And if so, does it matter what the degree is in?

I know common sense would probably say that the aviation management degree would be the clear choice, but I'm kind of hoping it isn't. As I said, I want to be a dispatcher, but I also want to have options if that doesn't work out like I hope it does. I can still do an aviation management minor to have some of those classes, but I'd prefer the business degrees over that. Being as multi-faceted as possible just seems very appealing to me.

Second question: As far as getting hired, does it matter where you get your certificate (especially if one has their bachelor's to go with it). My college started a dispatch program about 2 years ago. I know schools like Sheppard and Jepp are considered the Harvard's and Yale's of dispatch school, but if one had their 4 year degree and got their certificate through college, would that impact them negatively? Would it be better to just get my bachelors and then go to Sheppard or Jepp?

Third and final question: I also have my commercial (single and multi) and was wondering if having that aeronautical and some CRM knowledge would help me make me any more appealing to a regional or major.

Thanks for any help and knowledge.

 

[manniax]

Getting the degree helps, what it is in is not that important. I think the accounting/CIS degree would be a better choice, as it would make you more marketable should you ever get sick of aviation. I think a dispatch certificate program as part of your college degree is a great idea myself...especially since you're already paying college tuition. In a five week course, it's information overload. Having your pilot license will probably help with getting your first gig but it's not a huge advantage in my experience. It kind of depends on the hiring manager. Still, when starting out every little bit helps to get you "noticed" by HR. At my major, I work with dispatchers who have no more than a high school diploma all the way to ones with master's degrees, and with zero flight time all the way up to former regional pilots with ATP's. There are many paths to career success in this industry.

 

[Graypilot289]

Getting the degree helps, what it is in is not that important. I think the accounting/CIS degree would be a better choice, as it would make you more marketable should you ever get sick of aviation. I think a dispatch certificate program as part of your college degree is a great idea myself...especially since you're already paying college tuition. In a five week course, it's information overload. Having your pilot license will probably help with getting your first gig but it's not a huge advantage in my experience. It kind of depends on the hiring manager. Still, when starting out every little bit helps to get you "noticed" by HR. At my major, I work with dispatchers who have no more than a high school diploma all the way to ones with master's degrees, and with zero flight time all the way up to former regional pilots with ATP's. There are many paths to career success in this industry.

Thanks for the reply! So in your opinion, there is no real advantage to going to sheppard/jepp after my bachelor's is done, as opposed to just getting it through school? I'm just wondering if hiring managers prefer to see those school on a resume or not.

 

[manniax]

Thanks for the reply! So in your opinion, there is no real advantage to going to sheppard/jepp after my bachelor's is done, as opposed to just getting it through school? I'm just wondering if hiring managers prefer to see those school on a resume or not.

It would depend upon the hiring manager at whichever airline was hiring and how your current school's program is regarded. Their may be a *slight* advantage in name recognition in getting the license with a well-known dispatch school after your degree is finished...but in my opinion it would not be worth the extra $5K or whatever tuition and living expenses would run by going that route, especially since you're already paying college tuition to get your degree. (Also, I believe you mean Sheffield and not Sheppard.)

 

[Graypilot289]

It would depend upon the hiring manager at whichever airline was hiring and how your current school's program is regarded. Their may be a *slight* advantage in name recognition in getting the license with a well-known dispatch school after your degree is finished...but in my opinion it would not be worth the extra $5K or whatever tuition and living expenses would run by going that route, especially since you're already paying college tuition to get your degree. (Also, I believe you mean Sheffield and not Sheppard.)

Gotcha, I was hoping it wouldn't be that big of a deal, just to be able to avoid those extra expenses.

And correct, I've used Sheppard Air so many times now for written tests that I mixed them up haha.