KAG, while it has been a while since I trained, I would have thought it wouldn't necessarily take 3 years to finish an fATPL with a type rating from scratch. PPL can take a few months (with time for bad weather), ATPL theory 6 months, 2 months hour building, CPL/IR in 5 months with time for bad weather etc, then 2 months TR. Around 1.5 years I would guess if you pushed through it, two years most.
The other option would be to get your PPL done and hour build during the bad times, primed to pounce on the commercial training when the time is right through a modular route.
I seem to remember about a 10 year period on aviation cycle in a historical sense, so once the upturn starts, I would think if you start your training then, after 2 years you will approach the very good recruitment times, with enough time to secure your seniority before the next downswing?
Tom.