I am on my second week here with ATP and love the program. I am learning so much and am motivated to keep working hard.
With that, I am also trying to understand more about what life is like after you get your CFI. For students that work hard and complete the program requirements, is it safe to say that employment with ATP as a CFI is a pretty realistic expectation given the current pilot shortage and unprecedented airline hiring? Do the majority of ATP students who want to be CFIʻs stay with ATP and instruct? How common is it to be receive a CFI spot at your training location? (I am in KOGD).
Provided you do well in training and are a good student (behavior, attendance, etc) becoming an instructor is a very real and obtainable goal. Probably one of the main reasons people (who are offered positions) don’t accept them is do to location. ATP will not overstaff a location to accommodate one individual’s desire. If you’re flexible your chances of getting a position go up dramatically. Keep in mind you can request a transfer to your home location when a slot opens up.
Like Adam said, as long as you do well in the program you will most likely be offered a position. The biggest reasons you wouldn’t, too many checkride failures or not completing the program within a reasonable timeline (some delays are understandable and will be evaluated on an individual basis).
Think of your program as a 7 month job interview. Do well because it’s the foundation of your flying career, will be reflected in future resumes and applications but also because you want to display the qualities ATP looks for in prospective CFIs.
How exactly does it work when it comes to ATP offering a CFI position and the locations? Will they present you with for example, a list of the locations with opening and allow you to choose (assuming there are more than one location with an open position) or will they just assign you to a location?
As for being a student what are some actions that I can take to better guarantee a possible CFI position with ATP? Besides doing well in check rides, overall behavior, and being on time and not missing class?
Just as you speculate, yes, when you’re approaching the end of your training you’ll be able to see a list of available locations. Hopefully there’s one in there that works for you. If not you can of course seek employment elsewhere. Keep in mind many of ATPs airline partnerships are contingent on the person instructing for ATP so if you can relocate (even temporarily) you probably should.
As for getting a slot it really isn’t rocket science. Since your name is Yehuda I’m going to take a shot that you know what the word mensch means (as Adam Feldman I’m allowed ). Hannah said it best above, treat everyday of training as if you’re on an interview. ATP is watching. Not just how you fly but how you interact, present yourself and treat others. Be a mensch and you’ll be fine. Don’t and chances are you really should be.
Thank you so much for your insight, haha yes you assumed correctly. I grew up being told that we must be a mensch.
Just to clarify to be able to use ATP’s vast networks and connections I must be an instructor for ATP? Also, I have no problem at all relocating, I already assumed that I would have to do so, as my home training center (Camarillo) is one of the smaller ones and is probably high on the list for many ATP instructors as it’s in a nice and relatively cheap location of California.
Treating every day of training as an interview, I am determined to be the best student I can be!
That is correct. One of the conditions of the conditional offers of employment that come from many the airlines is that you instruct for ATP. The reason for this is so a) they keep an eye on you and b) they know you’ll build your time in a timely fashion.
Now that’s not to say there aren’t other possible pathways but those would be yours to pursue vs them literally being handed to you at ATP.
). Hannah said it best above, treat everyday of training as if you’re on an interview. ATP is watching. Not just how you fly but how you interact, present yourself and treat others. Be a mensch and you’ll be fine. Don’t and chances are you really should be.