Thank you all - very enlightening.
I don’t have any particular airline in mind, TAP or otherwise - I’m preparing for a “beggars can’t be choosers” attitude whenever I get my license, so wouldn’t prioritise anyone based on vague promises of employability by the end, unless there was an excellent reason (e.g. Iberia’s tagged programme at FTEJerez, where they co-pay a significant sum).
I had already ruled out the MPL route for risk aversion, but wasn’t really considering the modular route for timing (and a preference for taking a couple years off, full time, to complete training fully dedicated to it). Don’t really consider the local ATOs I’m considering as a financial risk, as I’m able to conduct effective due diligence on them (data is public) and would always pay in installments and would likely negotiate arrears, but there’s always a risk, I agree. I’ll give it second thought.
Thank you all for your time!