Gg
I'll try to answer a couple of your points.
personally: flying max hours a year ...& getting paid to do it.
preferably sitting next to a very experienced mentor, so that i might live long enough to one get the opportunity to reciprocate the benefit of such experience.
I don't personally think sitting next to someone is the best wasy to start or to learn. Better to operate single pilot in a fairly controlled environment initially under close supervision.
any internships out there for motivated, professional (slightly mature) junior pilots? - not a chance.
a shortage of EXPERIENCED helicopter pilots, with so many low-timers pilots around, & these companies needing experienced jocks; why aren't there any programs that allow for the progressive advancement of junior pilots to a level where they are employable.
Why aren't some of the larger companies providing programs / scholarships to tap into this vast market of new candidates.
Okay. Good points. But think about the type of company that would be able to offer what you suggest. They would need to be reasonably large, say 10+ ships with a mixed fleet of piston and turbine. They would need quite a varied operation starting with basic tourist work for the low hour guys moving up to charter, fires, power lines and finishing with say offshore or ems at the top. Not many operations like this in Aus and the fews that come close to this do out of necessity hire fresh cpls and work them thru the system. Unfortunately they can only employ so many.