fiftycent
What you appear to misunderstand is the principle of what the ATP Scheme gives the individual, which, compared to the alternative, is much better.
1. A jet type rating.
2. £800 (ish) per month.
3. Full S/O or F/O wage after the six months, which will be a significant wage, pobably above many thousands of hour turbo-prop F/Os wages.
4. 99.99% of a job at the end of the six months.
5. If no job at the end of the six months then at least a jet type rating with a few hundred hours experience on it.
So, consider the alternative for a 170hr wonder kid.
1. No job and no replies to CVs.
2. An FI rating for probably about the same money per month.
3. A small chance of being picked up by a carrier.
4. An even smaller chance of being picked up by any of the carriers using CTC.
5. Having to pay to build more hours, but in reality making little headway as you can't afford to get 'hundreds' of hours (which is about the minimum to be of real value).
So don't knock it unless you understand it. Sure the guys doing their six months with expenses only will be having a tough time, but those who aren't on the scheme with similar hours will probably be having a tougher time.
PP