For over 40 years BEA/BOAC now BA have recruited cadet pilots straight out of Flying College. CPL (Frozen ATPL subjects passed) with 250 ish total hours, direct as P2 onto B737/Trident/B757 and now Airbus A320 variants. (There is no S/O cruise pilot, position practised in the Airline, all joiners are fully trained for two crew ops after Line training)
There was/is now, no big GA/Military pool to recruit from.
Cool story. Guess you missed the part that this forum is about Aus/NZ, not the UK?