Training and or type ratings cost money. Some airlines (the older ones often) pay for the rating and bond you to them (3 to 5 years)
In actual fact this means that they finance and train their pilots. Smaller airlines historically have found that pilots tend to leave well before the end of their bond period. As a result the small airline now had to chase their bond money and on top of that train another pilot. Smaller airlines were becomming pilot training and financing facillities rather then airlines because of this.
So instead you pay for you're rating up front and they will pay this back over some period (3-5 years again) even they will pay some intrest on top. (in other words you may use them as a career step, but pay for that yourself)
Let's look at this from some other perspective as well. If you have flown with an other airline and you are indeed rated on say the A320 or B737, you're marked value has increased and you should be payed extra money for that. I think this is only fair since you may have another bond to pay for.
Selection of new crew has a few purposes, first it is to see if you are the type of person that fit's the profile of the company. Seccond it is to make sure that you can cope with the training standard of the company, so that you do not require extra time of your instructors (read training capacity) in order to make the required level.
Let me be clear I do not like airlines that make money from their pilots in training such as e.g. an ATR operator asking 50.000 euro for a type rating, but I think that marked economy is playing a vital role in our terms and conditions. If this procedure is becomming a system that allows only the "rich" to become a pilot we as a group of pilots should engage in discussions with our airlines and find a solution to this.
As far as I am aware CTC does arrange finance for the training, this finance is provided without considering you're other loans, and EZY/CTC guarentee the pay-back. If EZY terminates your contract at some point (e.g. disciplinairy action) they will even pay the remainder of the loan/bond.
EZY selection and training is the best and most proffesional that I have seen so far, company culture is amongst the best in the industry and for the type of operation it is unbeaten (check ryanair's post's and you'll see)
If you are unhappy about current conditions talk to your CC, base captain or even your CEO (indeed he is approachable) but spreading negativity is by no means a constructive effort to make things better.
regards, Nick