"where there is a skills shortage we can organise type training paid for by the pilot but secured by a guarantee of future work by HeliSpeed”.
...with the knowledge that they have guaranteed income to pay off the training."
Look at it from a purely bean-counter perspective. Helispeed are effectively borrowing money from the pilot & paying it back interest free. If the pilot needs to finance the cost, he/she will be paying the interest on that finance out of after tax income, which would need to be claimed on a tax return but not all of it would be reimbursed. As h99 said, if the work didn't materialize it could be more cost effective for Helispeed to walk away from the pilot & pay the legal costs rather than reimburse the pilot. I feel sick in the guts with this trend.