Not a problem to make up a LT with 5000 hours and a TRE with say 8000 as a JAR25 minimum (my opinion). But it's not their hours that should be governing. Their background, knowledge and enthusiasm are essential ingredients too. Someone said, they are simply SOP police and I would agree that 50% of the LTs are purely this. They have very little extra knowledge to impart beyond SOP.
To grow this particular airline, management have had to create a very strict set of teaching Do's and Dont's, they have limited quality applicants and millions of small bases with a limited gene pool. The 3500 cadet to captain applicant are good candidates to teach SOP so they're better than a direct entry guy from that point of view but that's where the problems begin. Instead of taking the high time, multi airline guy, that they barely know, they'd rather the other type. This is where my previous post comes in to play. All the agencies need to address this problem not just the airline. The brain drain is alive and well in many airlines. Good guys can't be bothered to train in an environment that doesn't allow you to think, punishes you for incorrect paperwork, doesn't accept that sometimes delays are caused due to training, attend 2 or 3 training meeting per year at your own expense, have your efforts scorned by all and sundry from within and outside the airline. In a nutshell you're on a hiding to nothing, apart from an extra £9000.