I think there is another issue here. Given that the industry has become much more commercially aggressive then there is a net benefit in employing younger people. Us oldies (44 here) are less maleable, more likely to speak up if there is something wrong with the operation and know what standards in the industry really mean.
To an employer with a slimmed down management team it must seem more attractive to employ young, green pilots.
This is, of course, until the day when an airline with a such a workforce has an accident and is called to account over its experience base.