I would now like to hear ONE SINGLE suggestion from everyone slating him, as to what he could do, instead, that would keep you guys happy and also enable him to get where he wants to be.
How about head to Northern Aus along with the hundreds of your Kiwi cousins bashing around in this country and join them flying metros,beeches,kingairs,conquests and many other machines earning substantially more than 38 k per year.
Plenty doing it and plenty more will keep doing it and having a blast gaining rock solid experience.