I’m currently working as a commercial pilot but I’m thinking about switching careers completely. I’m 33 right now and wondering if it makes sense to go back to school for a business degree. By the time I graduate, I’ll be around 35 or 36 years old.
I’m particularly interested in getting into investment banking or maybe private equity after finishing my studies. Has anyone here made a similar career change at this age? Is it realistic to start over in finance after being in aviation for so many years?
I know it’s a big decision and I’m trying to weigh all the pros and cons. Any thoughts or experiences would be really helpful.
lol good luck with that. Investment banking at 35? Most firms will trash your resume the second they see your age. Yeah, aviation gives you some skills that transfer, but you’re competing against 22-year-olds who’ll work for nothing and basically live at the office. Maybe look at corporate banking or wealth management instead of chasing the IB dream. Starting over at 33 isn’t impossible, but you need to adjust your expectations big time.
Don’t listen to the negativity here. Yeah, IB’s tough, but there are other finance paths that’d work better for you. Ever think about airline finance departments? Your industry knowledge would be a massive advantage. Aircraft leasing companies are another option - they need people who get both sides of the business. Way smoother transition, and you could still jump to PE later doing transportation deals.
You can definitely switch careers at 33, but breaking into IB has some real challenges. Most analysts start at 22-24, and firms love young candidates for those brutal 80+ hour weeks. That said, your aviation background is actually pretty solid - you’ve got analytical skills, can make decisions under pressure, and understand risk assessment. All of that translates well to finance. I’d skip the big banks and target middle-market or boutique firms instead. They’re way more open to career changers. You might also want to look at corporate finance, asset management, or financial consulting as stepping stones. Plenty of people make the jump to finance in their thirties, especially with technical backgrounds like yours.
Been there myself - made the switch from engineering to finance at 31. Here’s what nobody mentions: your age can actually help if you use it right.
I skipped the traditional path. Instead of diving straight into school, I networked hard and knocked out some online finance courses first. Turns out there’s huge demand for people with technical backgrounds who get complex deals.
Your aviation experience? You already handle regulations, understand equipment financing, and work under pressure. That’s half the job in finance.
Don’t jump into a full degree program yet. Test the waters with networking events and informational interviews first.
33 is actually perfect timing! You’ve got maturity and real-world experience that fresh grads don’t have. Finance desperately needs people with diverse backgrounds right now. Your aviation experience is gold - definitely go for it!
Think twice before jumping into a traditional business degree. Top MBA programs actually love candidates with unique backgrounds like aviation, and you’ll get way better networking than any undergrad business program. Don’t worry about age - sure, investment banking wants fresh grads, but plenty of experienced professionals switch to finance through other routes. Your pilot experience is gold for finance roles. You’ve got decision-making under pressure, regulatory know-how, and risk management skills that structured finance and infrastructure investing teams desperately want. Don’t start from scratch - use your aviation background strategically. Look at aircraft financing, infrastructure funds, or transportation investment groups where your industry knowledge makes you valuable from day one. Yeah, timing matters, but start building finance skills with CFA courses or financial modeling while targeting these niches. Your experience becomes your biggest advantage, not something you need to explain away.