ATC,
From memory, the IFACTA release said the world was 3000 controllers short - not quite as good for us as 30,000 but still quite a large number, when you consider the thousands of baby boomer ATCs to retire shortly!
Also, here is Oz, the pass rate from walk in the door to rated is somewhere around 50% (I think) and the way our 'leaders' sprout on about being 'world's best practice' ANSP, I imagine that this would be not too far from world's best.
In terms of HR, here they recruit for tower or enroute and given that our wonderfully titled People and Change unit runs the show (without any ATC experience), they probably do not understand that someone may fail at a procedural tower but do well on a radar enroute sector. Hence, this probably won't be available to recruits who fail until controllers are running this side of the show.
Finally, in today's world of accountants running the place, while training is seen as a cost burden to be minimised it will fall by the wayside, as has been shown by the last couple of years here in Oz. Much like the way us controllers are seen - not as a resource to be enhanced, but a cost to be minimised. Ah, well, when there are no controllers left, there will be no more money coming in and our magnificent 'leaders' will get a rude shock!