T Father,
You've probably got a good idea of the industry by now but ill add my opinion. If earning large sums of money is the driving force then its probably not the career for him, hes best suited to joining a finance firm and working hard to move up the pyramid. If however its flying, working with great (generally) people visiting places you may otherwise not visit then flying is great. The best part for me is working together as a team to get the job done safely, on time with happy passengers and crew.
From my view point; The salary I earn from flying is low, higher than the UK average (somewhat) but around the average for the place I live. I fly a nice turboprop, I gained a command very early in my career and have had opportunities to do various things since completing my training. Training is by far the hardest part and can take some time. The cost of training may put you off, however look to modular. Many good schools in the U.K and France. The company I work for values Integrated and Modular equally, the offer of employment often comes down to whether or not the person is a nice person or not, although its a very old fashioned company. Modular can be much more affordable, means you pay as you go and allows breaks to raise more money.
For me the balance of work / home life is very good, but many of the perks of the company I work for are traded by the lower salary, its a life style that works for me, but not everyone. Life is always about compromise.
My journey to the flight deck wasn't straightforward, I worked within the training industry as well as a handful of very small companies doing everything, including cleaning. Earning very little money and having to work in shops / hotels at the same time to make ends meet. A couple of years after qualifying, earning my place at the table and getting to meet the right people I managed to get my first salaried job flying in a multi crew environment. Since then its only ever been up (with a few downs of course). In my opinion too many people expect things to be handed to them and when its not, give up. With the right attitude and the willingness to work hard, anything is possible. Just don't expect to earn a fortune and go to work once or twice a week.