a pilot shortage is something that's been continually predicted since the wright brothers first flight.
I would say even before: since the Clement Ader first flight, or even back in time, since the Félix du Temple de la Croix first flight
Concerning the article: Each time you see an article trying to make optimistic pilot hiring prediction for the next 20, 30, 40 or 50 years, it always mean we are at the top of the hiring cycle. Each time, it never fails. The only difference today: the top of the hiring cycle (from which everything will decrease...) is not that high this time... Rather low I would say...