Thanks for all the responses! Much appreciated.
From the outside, it's clear aviation is highly cyclical. Once in the industry, I can only imagine some of the highs and lows. I guess we all need a bit of luck, or at least the avoidance of bad luck.
Personally, I do have a back-up career and other income routes if aviation were to go horribly wrong. That said, it's helpful and important to have reminders of how essential these are across a (potential) career.
But what about the main thrust of my initial question, what are the training backgrounds of new (low hour) pilots being hired these days? Are they largely made up of the brand (most expensive) schools or are there still fair opportunities out there for equally strong candidates from the cheaper schools with good reputations?
As ever, thanks for taking the time to share your views.