WestJet Mainline/Encore Hiring pool

[General Brock]

These posts don't feel like WestJet culture at all. I just had my interview and I'm hoping to get hired. I have less than 2500 hours, but a good attitude.

[Jimmy_Hoffa]

These posts don't feel like WestJet culture at all. I just had my interview and I'm hoping to get hired. I have less than 2500 hours, but a good attitude.

Well WJ has added Wide Bodies and a Second Class Reigonal feeder. It's not the same company it was 2 or 5 years ago. That doesn't mean it still is not a great place to work, but Bob Dylan says it best. "Times they are a changin"

[BE20 Driver]

And back on track...

I hear people have been interviewing for mainline lately. I was under the impression that the pool was filled until the end of the year. I guess it likely doesn't mean any increase flow in the near future.

I assume Encore's hiring is ongoing but the guys I know that interviewed this week were not asked if they were interested in working at Encore FWIW.

[loopa]

With 60 odd people in the pool for encore and the July 27th 737 job posting going up, would there ever be any cross over for the experienced people in the pool (4k+ hrs, mpic, etc)? The interviewers are the same and I don't imagine the interview differs that much between the two jobs. When qualified you are wj material.

Interesting times nonetheless.

[NickyNick]

What's the minimum hours for new hires? 3900 plus mostly on BE20 and no job for me.

[duramaxguy]

With 60 odd people in the pool for encore and the July 27th 737 job posting going up, would there ever be any cross over for the experienced people in the pool (4k+ hrs, mpic, etc)? The interviewers are the same and I don't imagine the interview differs that much between the two jobs. When qualified you are wj material.

Interesting times nonetheless.

I actually know of 2 people through friends who apparently interviewed for Encore, got pooled, and got called for mainline GS. Both in the 6k hour range.

[AirMail]

6k hrs applying for Encore 35k wages.. ouch

[loopa]

With 60 odd people in the pool for encore and the July 27th 737 job posting going up, would there ever be any cross over for the experienced people in the pool (4k+ hrs, mpic, etc)? The interviewers are the same and I don't imagine the interview differs that much between the two jobs. When qualified you are wj material.


Interesting times nonetheless.

I actually know of 2 people through friends who apparently interviewed for Encore, got pooled, and got called for mainline GS. Both in the 6k hour range.

I figured this was the case. Was this recently that they were called?

[NickyNick]

6k hrs applying for Encore 35k wages.. ouch

Why ouch? Maybe they were recently laid off, 35k is a lot more than 0k.

[esp803]

You will net more on EI than 35k a year gross.

E

[skypirate88]

You will net more on EI than 35k a year gross.

E

How do you figure? Max ei payment is $524 a week, or a little over $27000 per year...which you also pay income tax on.
From personal experience as one of the folks collecting ei, I net just under 1000 every 2 weeks.

I am not justifying the pay offered, but at this point I would be happy to have a job at 36K a year.

[AirMail]

6k hrs applying for Encore 35k wages.. ouch

Why ouch? Maybe they were recently laid off, 35k is a lot more than 0k.

Which is incidentally more than what a troll makes.

You will net more on EI than 35k a year gross.

E

How do you figure? Max ei payment is $524 a week, or a little over $27000 per year...which you also pay income tax on.
From personal experience as one of the folks collecting ei, I net just under 1000 every 2 weeks.

I am not justifying the pay offered, but at this point I would be happy to have a job at 36K a year.

1000 every 2 weeks is about what you'd be taking home from a 35k job. The fact is if someone with 6k hrs should be able to find something better, hell they deserve better than bottom pay. Even though in the end it worked out for them, it still justifies the race to the bottom for companies.

[JTrain]

With 60 odd people in the pool for encore and the July 27th 737 job posting going up, would there ever be any cross over for the experienced people in the pool (4k+ hrs, mpic, etc)? The interviewers are the same and I don't imagine the interview differs that much between the two jobs. When qualified you are wj material.

Interesting times nonetheless.

I actually know of 2 people through friends who apparently interviewed for Encore, got pooled, and got called for mainline GS. Both in the 6k hour range.

Are you 100% certain?

There is no shortage of high-time experienced folks at Encore, many with well north of 6k hours. Amongst our pilot group we have countless guys with jet time, some even with 737 time & type ratings. Many other guys with lots of hours on various corporate jets or RJs. We have several former RCAF guys, some from transports, but at least two former CF-18 drivers and one former Snowbird.

Although the interviews (Encore & WJ) are essentially the same, those folks would have been mighty fortunate to interview for Encore and come away with a WestJet job offer. What management really needs to do is pick up the flow rate, it has to get to 75% or 100% soon. Since Encore's inception over two years ago, approximately 24 pilots have flowed to WJ. With ~250 pilots at Encore, do your own math on how long it could take to get to WJ. The wait for a 737 seat could jeopardize future Encore recruitment.

Please don't think that the Encore pilot group is a bunch of unqualified rubes. The biggest thing we all lack in terms of getting to our ultimate career goal (WestJet) is the connections to get a WJ interview - which has historically been a hard thing to get.

[sstaurus]

If there are 250 people at encore, if you go to Mainline now, you'll be at the bottom of the list for a long time as all of encore slides above you... Is WJ bidding socialized or seniority based? I suppose it wouldn't matter so much if it's social.

[leftoftrack]

If there are 250 people at encore, if you go to Mainline now, you'll be at the bottom of the list for a long time as all of encore slides above you... Is WJ bidding socialized or seniority based? I suppose it wouldn't matter so much if it's social.

WJ is social. Seniority doesn't even guarantee you a good vacation time

[BE20 Driver]

What management really needs to do is pick up the flow rate, it has to get to 75% or 100% soon. Since Encore's inception over two years ago, approximately 24 pilots have flowed to WJ. With ~250 pilots at Encore, do your own math on how long it could take to get to WJ. The wait for a 737 seat could jeopardize future Encore recruitment.

Everyone is pretty much frozen at current policies because of the unionization vote. Once that ends, the freeze comes off.

Now, the WJPA has been saying they want 100% flow within 3 years of starting up. We just passed 2 years and barely made it to 50%. Anyone care to place a wager? I'm saying there's no way we'll be at 100% flow in the next 10 months. My best guess is 50% until next May and then maybe 75% for the second half of 2016.

Hiring at mainline this year was forecast at ~50 new hires. They've since added two ground schools so now we're up to ~65 IIRC. It's a long wait if you're Encore #275. Even if the flow were at 100% tomorrow, you're still looking at a 5 year wait (10 years at the current 50% flow).

[Propjet]

Anyone know if the upcoming Sept/Oct Encore GS will be YYC or YYZ based?

[Mooseontheloose]

.

[sstaurus]

It said not including second officer time, not FO time.

[watermeth]

Omg. Might have been my biggest brainfart so far...

[duramaxguy]

As with the above, what are the dates for the next GS? Rumour has it there are 2 Encore GS in Sept, can that be confirmed?

Also are they still interviewing to maintain the pool at it's present numbers?

Enjoy the long weekend!!

Also curious about dates...

[JTrain]

Anyone know if the upcoming Sept/Oct Encore GS will be YYC or YYZ based?

I want to say it is YYC-based, but they have been quite flexible of folks wanting YYZ and were Pearson the place you wanted to be, you'd be there before long. You might spend a month or two in YYC, but generally the higher-ups have been quite good about visiting the new-hire ground schools, taking the pulse to see if anyone wanted to go to YYZ, and then working with them to make it happen. Worst case scenario you'd be in Calgary for a few months, which might be beneficial in some ways to your Encore career as you'd get exposure Canada West flying, in particular some of the more-demanding BC destinations like Terrace, Penticton, Kelowna, or Kamloops, not to mention dealing with the Rockies on approach into YYC. The May & June classes were for YYZ-based folks from the get-go; they only did a week of their training in Calgary at the WJ campus, and the rest of it at FlightSafety Downsview. Some of the folks hired in Jan-Feb-March-April of this past year were also given YYZ from the moment they completed line indoc.

YYC is by far the more senior Encore base, although YYZ appears to have more growth potential and offer a quicker upgrade if you meet the matrix. Seeing more people with Central and Eastern backgrounds join for the YYZ base.

There is at least one Encore course per month for the remainder of 2015, and possibly some months with two courses. Classes sizes are usually 10, although occasionally have been 12, and there was that one giant course last year of 20.

[Elessar_44]

Any YYZ mainline FOs comfortable answering a few questions for someone interested in applying to the FO opening? Feel free to PM.

Thanks in advance gang!

[skypirate88]

I imagine it varies greatly, but how long are folks typically waiting to hear about their application at Encore? Is there any indication in your profile if they have decided not to pursue your application further? Last year when I applied without my ATPL I was very quickly told I didn't meet their requirements (which I understood) since I was just hoping to show my interest. I've since reapplied to this latest ad now that I exceed the requirements.

Is this a case of no news is good news, and that calls haven't been made?

Thanks for your input

[adster1989]

Hello Everyone,

Just wondering if anyone in here would be able to shed light on what variables are looked at before HR making decision on who makes it for a call for a GS invite out of pool? Feel free to PM