Leading Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) is opening applications for the seventh batch of Cadet Pilots who will be trained at the prestigious Flight Training Adelaide (FTA) in Australia through a “study now, pay later, zero-interest” training program. The airline will be selecting 16 cadet pilot trainees to join six other batches who are currently undergoing training in Australia.
Application period for the seventh batch of Cebu Pacific Cadet Pilots runs from May 17 to 26, 2019. Interested applicants may visit here to apply for the program starting 12 noon on May 17, 2019.
There is no application fee for the program. Applicants who will pass the online pre-screening will proceed with the next stages of the selection process. The selection process includes interviews, computer aptitude tests, medical examinations, psychological tests and spoken English tests. This will be followed by an on-site screening where successful candidates will pay a fee of AU$425 (about P19,000.00) for core skills and pilot aptitude tests among other examinations.
The Cebu Pacific Cadet Pilot Program is a multi-million dollar initiative that aims to provide a steady flow of highly-skilled, internationally trained airline pilots over the next five years. Applicants must be Filipino citizens who are proficient in English and are college graduates of any degree, with an average grade of at least 80% or its equivalent in subjects related to Math, Physics, and English.
Cebu Pacific shoulders the entire cost of the pilot training. Those who successfully complete the training are assured of employment with the carrier. Cadets will reimburse the cost of the program through monthly salary deductions over a maximum of ten years with zero-interest.
One of the applicants who are part of the initial batch is Darryl Dave Ditucalan from Iligan City. A certified Electronics and Communications Engineer, Ditucalan graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology. His parents are farmers and local government officials in the province of Lanao del Norte. Ditucalan took a chance and applied for the program. After undergoing a comprehensive selection process, he became part of the first batch of CEB Cadet Pilots.
After a year of training in Adelaide, Ditucalan and 11 other cadets are set to return to the Philippines by mid-June where they will take their positions as First Officers in the carrier’s pilot corps.
“To those wanting to be pilots but are financially or otherwise constrained, take advantage of this opportunity offered by Cebu Pacific. The ten year payback period is very affordable compared to what this career can bring to you and your family,” said Ditucalan.
Since the program was launched in late 2017, CEB has received over 38,000 applications and has already deployed 80 cadet pilots to FTA. The sixth batch is set to depart for training by July 2019.