Interesting......
Alex is right about the early 90's!!
I can remember in a 'back issue' of Pilot Magazine in around 1994'ish where an interview about the pilot shortage of the early 90's. They were talking with one of the Chief pilots during that time.....He was quoted as having said:-
" If a monkey turned up at the door with a CPL/IR then it would have got a job!"
Good eh!