Its never a great time to start training. No school gives you a particular job getting advantage over another school.
These two truths I hold to be true.
There are some good times to be looking for a job. 1988 and 1999 spring to mind. However nobody predicted that 18 months in advance so its like horse racing and the stock market really. Luck half the time.
Your story about working in other sectors of aviation to gain experience is one I have heard time and time again over the years. Only recently did I bump into an FO in the crewroom who used to be a rostering officer with a Frzn ATPL...
Companies have to by law advertise all job vacancies internally first.
Cheers
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