Training/checking by nature is not an enjoyable experience for most Pilots because we are generally perfectionists or think we should be perfect at our jobs. That is why we survive long enough to get to where we are.
So when you ask some one how is the training... you will have to search hard to find either an exceptional pilot who never does anything wrong, or some one with no fear of making mistakes and just doesn't care to get a possitive answer more times than not.
Unfortunately I have to agree with most of above comments there are too many TRIs that think they are TREs and are way to quick to sink the boot in. I believe they believe they are helping and doing the right thing but have just forgotten what the "I" stands for in TRI........Instruction!!!
The simuator and the briefing time allocated is not intended as a vehical for spoon feeding trainees, if you are subjected to 1 1/2 hours of system/proceedures lecture prior to a sim you will waste most of the sim session becase the trainees will be brain dead.
Questions during this time are only to help determine what the instructor needs to focus on with the trainees.
The session in the sim should ideally be an relaxed environment where the crew can maximise their learning potential.
That is how new instructors are currently taught to do it, and I believe the TRI instructional program is actually very good if not one of the best.
How your TRI will be after being overworked and under appreciated consistantly is anyones guess though. Just like the rest of the line pilots.
The new requirements for instructors were brought about to ensure that line training Captains had sufficient time/experience on the line training system prior to instructing in the SIM and to develop a surplus of training captains to cover surges in demand. I am not sure how much influence the lesser pay structure had in this system, if any.
Currently ground instructors are undergoing sim training to qualify them to run TRI sim sessions, I hope it works! However I think it will take a long time yet.