Think it is hard to get a job now? It is going to get worse.

[andronicus]

I agree I think flying is choice too,

A student loan system in Australia does not have to be a bad thing, learn from the mistakes and problems with the NZ scheme and get it right from the start.
There are schools in NZ that see dollar signs when prospective students walk through the door and they get promised things that we all know will more than likely never eventuate. Unfortunately it is generally these schools that jump through the necessary hoops to get on board with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.
Before the scheme was introduced in NZ, flying, and in particularly flying helicopters was only realistic for the wealthy or those with connections in the industry.

Now there are a lot of shiny CPL's around that may never get used but at least it gives your average bloke or girl an opportunity that would of otherwise been out of reach for them. Obviously there needs to be stricter entry requirements for student loan courses as some of the candidates will never make the grade after training.

I have met a fair few young pilots in Australia that have only got the opportunity because mummy and daddy were able to help them along the way, not everyone has this luxury however and taking out a loan doesn't mean you don't know the value of money.

Regards,

Andronicus

[Jabberwocky]

I'm not sure how I feel with this one. I'm in the 'privledged position' of being a fresh-ish CPL holder, I have only earnt a handful of hours on top of my license but in saying so, am very lucky to actually be employed in the industry at present. It could hurt if the 'free license' flood gates open and the market is saturated with more newbies, and evidently, more willing to work for even less... great if you're an hour building instructor tho

But my dream was no different to many others, and some just don't have the means to make those dreams reality. I think at the end of the day, having a license only gets you so far... so the weak will be weeded out as per usual. So yeah, it might work out well.

What if...?

What if, we gave the power of handing out the loans to the AOPA or similar, and they in turn gave the loan to the student (after earning it of course through appropriate means/tests/selection criteria etc) and then allowing them to go where they wanted? This would eliminate the sausage factories going nuts looking for all their prospective new $$$$tudents...? The student can work the market as he/she pleases then. Just a thought...

[If I Was A Bird]

I don't know how the NZ loans work or how the Aussie ones would work but another way of looking at it is:

When you go to uni you don't have to put any of your own money in, you can just get a government loan for it. Do a course, change course if you don't like it and generally try and act clever for about 7 years before the government stops funding you. Then when you get a job you only have to start paying back your loan once you earn over $43k a year.

This gives the poorer people the chance to be equal with the richer ones if they want that university education. It also sounds very similar to the NZ loan system and also what is being talked about above.

[Banjamin James]

Well Labour is back in, so that put's that policy too bed. Maybe next time the Liberals will announce their policies before the election is over so we know what we are voting for