I'm definitely not going trying to turn this into a cadet v GA thing but...
The copilot held an ATPL(A) that was issued in 2007 and a 717 type rating that was issued in 2008. The copilot had a total of about 4,520 hours aeronautical experience, including about 1,800 hours on the 717.
...they couldn't have an ATPL and ~2,500 hours at the end of a cadetship. You might be confusing the Dash incident in Sydney about a year ago with the stick shakers there?