Graduates
richie-rich,
You would find most airline cadets overseas are required to have degrees. It's really quite simple there are a lot of applicants for these positions and therefore airlines can make that a requirement for entry.
This does not apply in Oz at the moment. However universities are producing about 200 pilot graduates a year,so what do you think will happen in the future? If you were an employer would you take a year12 educated pilot, a university drop out or a graduate who has proven he/she is able to cope with the rigours of study at a higher level and who also has all the licences and ratings?
It's no longer stick and rudder, aircraft are highly automated and flying large aircraft is more management than what you will encounter in light aircraft. Hope that helps.