BillieBob said:
"As for the training professionals, let's start with most, if not all of the TRIs and TREs that I work with, who find it frustrating to have to re-teach basic MCC skills to people who have spent too much time playing with the shiny knobs and switches and too little concentrating on the job in hand."
That might be true, not the case at AeroMadrid though I would suspect. By the time students get to the "real" MCC on the A320 Level D Sim, they've had around around 70hrs of simulator working as a multi-crew (most hours FNPTII, some FNPTI).
BillieBob said:
"No airlines are routinely hiring low-hours pilots to jet positions with the exception of the CTC/Easyjet programme in which the MCC training is separated from a dedicated JOC, which in turn flows seamlessly into a type rating course".
Not true at all, as peb pointed out. Maybe in the UK it is the case but, talking about Europe in general, there are opportunities out there right now for low houred pilots to start flying jets.