Well that is not showing a lot of Christmas spirit is it?
Here is a reply that really doesn't answer your question, but it does highlight the point.
In Summer 2010 (last year) I followed the progress of a group of 10 individuals who with little (PPL) or no experience at all, embarked on an
integrated course of training at a well known UK provider. That same group is now coming to the end of their course and are still waiting to get their licences. Despite that, they are all starting work on Jet aircraft for airlines in the next month. All have less than 250 hours, and all will have their type ratings paid for. To answer your question as it applied in that case:
1) Airline First officer cadet (Jet type)
2) No.
3) The training organisation nominated the placement.
4) The training organisation did.
5) Nothing relevant.
6) 190-250
7) A well known UK integrated training provider.
As for retirements. Don't get too excited. People sometimes have perceptions of linear retirement paths leading to ficticious "bulges". In reality what happens is that natural attrition smooths out these "bulges" long before they could ever actually occur. Death, sickness, licence loss, redundancy, etc. all erode the numbers over time so that the projected "big wave" is usually an unnoticable ripple by the time it actually reaches shore.
Increases in retirement age, actually make this smoothing effect even more prevalent, as attrition tends to be higher in the older age groups. The state of the economy coupled with legislation changes have resulted in longer careers for many of those at the top of the tree, so don't hold your breath waiting.
For those making New year resolutions, it is all about the choices you make.
Decide what you want. Plant the seeds of investment in the most fertile soil. Irrigate with "luck" and work hard, keeping your fingers crossed that natural disasters wont damage the harvest.
Merry Christmas.