Affirmative action really messed up the hiring process. It is still alive but not in a way that keeps qualified people getting hired. At least not on the airline level any more.

As for qualified people, that is a fluid number. I have experienced often that there have been people with far less experience that are much better pilots than some who are much more experienced but their attitude does not make them a good pilot and or employee. As the saying goes, you can teach someone how to fly but you can't change their attitude. Over my career I have found this to be very true.