Consider also that the number of retirements over the next ten years will be far greater than the last ten. There are still a number of pilots going to 65 (and beyond) but according to recent figures I saw, the average retirement age has been around 62 - and there are many reaching that age in the next ten years. The demise of the 744 may well accelerate that further.
I'd be interested to see a breakdown of Pilot's ages at the minute. I suspect there'd be say 40% in the 50+ bracket, 40% in the 35-50 bracket and only a relative few in the under 35 bracket. That suggests that a young person (say 25-early 30's) joining now may have a longish period in the S/O and junior F/O (ie: PER or ADL based) ranks, not long in the middle and a good period as a Captain.