What no-one has so far mentioned, is the skills they think companies should be looking for?
Anyone can learn to fly an aircraft if they are duly motivated, same as driving a car, neither are evolutionary skills, so there is nothing that cannot be picked up. Smoothly and perfectly maybe not, to a safe and acceptable level, absolutely.
What exactly are people discussing when they mention what students are lacking?
I don't like the concept that someone high and mighty would be able to make the decision of what someone could and couldn't do, an aptitude test will in no way give you an indication of if I can fly an aircraft, nor will it give you an indication of if you could spend 6 hours in an enclosed space with me.