“I’ve always wanted to be a pilot, I don’t remember ever wanting to do anything else. Going on holidays as a child, the airport was the fun part of the holiday for me. However, when it was time to fill out my CAO, I realised that, at age 18, I wasn’t ready to go straight into two years of pilot training.
“I came across the BSc in Aviation Management at DCU, and it seemed like the best of both worlds. I wanted to have that college experience of living in Dublin and meeting new people, and it would give me good professional skills too.”
There’s something on the course for everyone, regardless of what sector of aviation you want to go into – piloting, air traffic control, business. We had an INtegrated TRAining (INTRA) internship in third year, and I spent seven months with Air Nav Ireland, which provides air traffic management services. That was good, real-world experience.
I’ve loved my time in DCU and applied to be our Class Representative this year. Because it’s a small course, we’ve all become close friends. A lot of us are in the DCU Aviation Society and we’ve been on some great trips to places that have a connection with aviation.
I’m thinking of doing a postgraduate degree next year, rather than jumping into flight training. I’d have teh chance to continue learning, and time to build up my savings a bit, as pilot training is a big investment. That said, it’s worth it if you’re sure it’s what you want to do. My dream job would be with Aer Lingus, as I’d love to fly transatlantic routes.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to the daa for my scholarship. When I heard I was receiving it, I thought, right I’m going to push myself and prove that the work I put in was worth it. It was a very proud moment, and I really want to thank them. It’s great to be recognised for the work you’re doing.”
