There definitely has to be a change in the transition from education to employment in a pilot’s career. I’ve heard piloting compared to medicine and a whole host of other professions, in terms of education, regulation, responsibilities, professional standards etc. But where it fails is the gap between formal education and regular employment.
Could you imagine a newly graduated doctor being told to go to Katherine and find a job pulling beers in the pub and knock on the door of every medical clinic in town in the hope after pestering one for a few months they get a few days a week of casual GP work? Sure some medicos get their first gig in remote areas but in an established role with clear career progression.
This whole disruption to the industry should be a perfect time for RTOs, employers, unions, government etc to sit down and more tightly define professional training and careers. It should move toward the point where licences issued match expected job demand. You don’t even see this type of thing for pilot employment in most other nations, schools in Europe for example have well defined links with employers.