Seagull201 et al,
There have been airline sponsored cadet pilot schemes long before the 1970s in Australia, as I recall going back to the late 1950s, the AAPTS run by RAC of NSW at YSBK (or ASBK as it then was).
Qantas set up a scheme in the 1960s, the early courses are now long since retired. That was at about the same time BA (BOAC and BEA at the time) set up a college at Hamble.
I am always amused at the "flexibility" of recruit criteria, when business is bad and pilots are many, command time on a space shuttle is close to the minimum, when times are reversed, warm and walking with a valid medical fits the bill, being able to find the interview room satisfies the aptitude test.
HR by whatever name has always been an issue, as is the traditional turf war between HR and Flight Operations, resulting in some hires that were questionable as baggage slingers, let alone pilots.
Tootle pip!!