Parkfell - is it really sunny in Troon?
I live there as well!
Anyhow, to put things in perspective a little bit, many moons (and many buffalo) ago there was a real pilot shortage around the time that Air Europe went down and supplied a lot of pilots to an industry that sorely needed them. It was so bad that Madrid Centre was half empty of air traffic controllers, and pilots off the North Sea were being hooked out of helicopters and dumped in the front of 737s, as instrument flying is instrument flying after all. All the course providers were fully booked for four years ahead, and if you had a letter saying you were on a course, you virtually had a job. I myself was offered a co-jo position in a 757 provided I could start the course the next day, but I had just signed up as Chief Pilot of Cabair - in retrospect, I guess I should have taken it!
Anyhow, for reasons best known to himself, the boss of Air Europe pulled the plug on the company which gave a brief respite. The point is, recession after recession has followed and, apart from a recent blip, that shortage has never really gone away, as as the recessions have ensured that people didn't necessarily have the money to train.
Now add in the fact that India is close to overtaking China in the population stakes, and China itself is buying aircraft, and all the manufacturers are predicting requirements for pilots, including on helicopters. I think the future for potential pilots now, by the time they have their licences, looks rather good, although there will no doubt be people who disagree!
As for studying - in your career, you will be rather like an actor treading the boards, learning new lines every time you change aircraft type. Get used to it!
Phil
PS - mental arithmetic is sorely lacking in new recruits.