I know a couple of ex-electricians who are now flying because the work was so tedious
Blimey, if they thought being a spark was tedious I doubt airline flying is for them
Of course if they stick it out or aren't made redundant first in years to come, potentially the pay packet will compensate for the hours of boredom sat in their arses.
Chris: are you a pilot with
no monetary benefit?
well I have a CPL but don't earn a living from flying so there is no monetary benefit whatsoever for me right now or the forseeable future. Taken in the context of the post though, as an fo with a loan, there is no monetary benefit over many jobs either. It's not particularly difficult to match or better an FOs wages with or without a degree if you can network and are willing to travel (no different to an FO).
IMO, in many respects if you love flying, given this current climate you'd be better off getting a well paid job outside of aviation, buying a share in an aircraft and flying as a hobby in order for it to maintain it's long term appeal. Having the kudos of being an airline pilot, wearing the hat with scrambled egg on and driving the great unwashed around the sky has no appeal for me personally.