A pilot training takes several years and you have to invest a lot of money. But a pilot license alone is not enough to sit in an airline cockpit. You also have to pass the airline selection test. As an ab-Initio or cadet pilot, you can make your way quickly to the cockpit of an airline. Some airlines train their own junior staff in so-called Ab-Initio or Cadet programs.
What is Cadet Program / Ab-Initio Program
You will be trained as a First Officer so that you can fly in an airline cockpit.
The training often takes place at the flight school of your own airline. Some airlines also cooperate with renowned flight schools. Then the airline sends you to this flight school.
Ultimately, you will always have a license in your hands to fly in one of your airline's cockpits.
The big advantage is that you were able to convince an airline of your abilities before the training and that you will probably fly for that airline afterwards.
Why only probability and not with 100% safety? This is because the airline will only hire you if it has a need for pilots.
Unfortunately, the entire aviation industry is subject to fluctuations that are repeated time and again. This is shown in the following graph. There are certain years when hardly any pilots are hired. At some point, however, this changes again.
The fluctuations in the settings do not only affect one airline. It affects much more the entire industry worldwide.
Why is the Cadet Program so interesting?
So before you invest thousands of dollars in a training course, first apply to the airline for Cadet or Ab-Initio training. If you convince your future employer, he will also train you.
If you do the training privately, you have to convince an airline of yourself after your training.
For you, this small difference may be of little importance. But the airlines have waiting lists of cadet program candidates. If an airline hires again, the cadet candidates will be hired first. There the airlines already know that they fit to the company.
Therefore the way via the Cadet or Ab-Initio training is often faster and more direct to an airline than if you make your pilot license private and then apply to the airlines.
Below you will find links to some airlines that offer such training.
Airlines with Cadet Program
Air Arabia
https://www.airarabia.com/de/320-cadet-pilot-mpl
Air Astana
https://airastana.com/uae/About-Us/Training-and-Careers/Ab-Initio-Programme
AirFrance
https://corporate.airfrance.com/en/become-air-france-airline-pilot
Austrian Airlines
http://www.austrianpilot.at/flugschule/
British Airways
https://www.l3airlineacademy.com/career-programs/ba
China Airlines CAL
https://calcfec.china-airlines.com/PilotResume/endefault.aspx?lang=en-US&country=at&locale=en
Condor
https://www.career.aero/site/de/job/show/id/1744
EasyJet
https://becomeapilot.easyjet.com
Edelweis
https://www.flyedelweiss.com/de/about-edelweiss/jobs/pages/pilot-ab-initio.aspx
Emirates
https://www.emiratesflighttrainingacademy.com/en/cadet-registration/
Iberia
http://www.ftejerez.com/iberia.php
IndiaGo
JetBlue
http://pilots.jetblue.com/gateway-select
KLM
Lufthansa
http://www.lufthansa-pilot.de/pilot-werden
Qatar Airways
https://www.qatarairways.com/en/nationalisation/cadet-pilot-programme.html
Singapur Airlines
https://www.singaporeair.com/de_DE/de/careers/cadet-pilots-career/
Smart Lynx
https://baaflightschool.com/pilot-cadet-programs/smartlynx-airlines-cadet-programme/
Swiss
https://www.european-flight-academy.com/swiss/dein-weg-ins-cockpit_sw/bewerbung_sw
Turkish Airline
https://careers.turkishairlines.com/en-US/cockpit-crew
Virgin Atlantic
https://careersuk.virgin-atlantic.com/future-flyers-pilot-training-programme
Virgin Austrailia
https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/about-us/careers/pilot-cadetship/#overview
Wizz Air
https://pilot-academy.wizzair.com
Overview of all training courses
There are a few platforms on which you can also get the current tenders of the airlines listed.
https://betteraviationjobs.com/cadet-pilot-program/
https://www.flightdeckfriend.com/airline-pilot-jobs/cadet-airline-pilot-programs/