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Top Advice
What do you want to do when you're older is asked of young people all the time. Few of us really know. I wanted to be a fire fighter, then in the army, then a pilot. That one stuck. I knew nothing about flying but I heard about the air cadets from a friend and joined. It was the flying that I was most focused on but it gave me an insight into the world of the RAF. The camps were the best and my highlight was a flight in a Hawk; it was so exhilarating. Despite all this I realised the forces were not for me and having no clear options I found nursing. This was never on my radar but I loved it and I tried it for a year before committing and then went to University where I got a degree in Paediatric Nursing. I took so much from being a nurse for those few years before flying raised its head again with another opportunity to get a cadetship with BA. I didn't have high expectations but if you don't try then you won't know. I had a go and here I am today as a Captain.
Career path
Captain
British Airways
From 01/2019 to 05/2024Paediatric Senior Staff Nurse
NHS
From 07/1997 to 11/1998Neonatal Staff Nurse
NHS
From 08/1996 to 07/1997Company
What do you like about your job and the company?
I wanted to fly. I loved the power and the speed you could feel just by standing under the flight path. That was why I wanted to be a pilot. British Airways was the iconic brand and any one I knew who was a pilot flew for them. Becoming a Captain was something I took incredibly seriously and waited until I felt I had time in my life to be the best Captain I could. I was ready to challenge myself and I had the experience and the skills needed and you learn so much when you try something new. It is rewarding to be in charge of the team everyday and I enjoy the responsibility.
Greatest achievements
I felt incredibly proud of achieving my command while also juggling being a mum of three wonderful children and all the challenges this brings. I love being a role model for girls who may never have considered being a pilot as a career path until they saw someone doing it! My friend's daughter was so excited when she found out she could be a mum and a pilot! It is great to challenge the stereotypes and I have realised how important this is. When people say pilot most people think man, but not my daughter and not my colleague's son, they think woman because that is what they know!
Ruby S
Top Advice
Always keep an open-mind when making decisions, some of my best career moments have happened after I said yes to something that I wanted to say no to, being outside of your comfort zone is when you will learn the most! Create goals to ensure you have things to aspire and work towards, this will keep you on the right path and motivated. Prior to making big decisions, do your research, ask questions and don't worry if you don't understand something the first time - resilience is they key to success.
Alice C
Fare Product Specialist
Top Advice
Let your personality shine - This is what will stand out to a potential employer. Other applicants may have just as much experience as you, but what they don’t have is your unique personality, so really bring that into your interview process. Do not let the job description scare you - it is ok to not tick all the boxes. Job descriptions are full of jargon and can be confusing to an outsider, do not let this put you off, if it is a role you think you are a match for, you are probably more than capable to perform in the role, and companies are likely to offer training to get you up to speed on the aspects you don’t yet have experience in. Don’t just be interviewed, do the interviewing – The potential employer want to ensure they are finding the right candidate, but you also need to be sure you are finding the right employer, don’t be afraid to ask questions and challenge the working environment. You spend most of your life at work, you need to be sure you are finding an environment that aligns with you personally. Be honest with yourself and the interviewer. A mantra of mine is to do a job you love. “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
Macorley C
Top Advice
Your journey starts here! I am so proud to be part of British Airways. One piece of advice I can give, is to learn as much as possible about our airline, heritage and understand the reasons why we have been doing what we do for over 100 years.
