EGGW,
Sorting our manning out is simple. Pay! If they can make EK attractive rather than just competitive, then they would have to beat the applicants off with a !!!!!ty stick.
It seems to me that the company does not fully understand safety risk management judging by some of the decisions that are made. It is ok to employ a 737-200 Ryan Air Captain straight onto the 777 but not cross-train our own F/Os. Let me see the 732 guy needs to learn all about glass aircraft, 777s, long haul ops and the emirates route network. The bus F/O needs just needs to transition to the 777 particularly if he has had a jet command before.
I believe that most of the risk in our operation comes from a lack of awareness of the operational environment rather than the aircraft. It took me a couple of years before I was comfortable enough around the network to fully understand the implications of diverting to a particular airfield et al. It even took me nearly a year to learn to speak english well enough to understand most of the ATCers in the region and I am a native English speaker! Get a new DEC and an inexperienced cadet together and the risks are magnified.