Norman
This pay for your training and maybe get a job has been around a long, long time.
Midland, another BALPA airline, were doing this on the quiet way back in the mid 90s when things were slack and they excess sim and training capacity: they sold lots of 737 TRs to youngsters with the vague and very loose carrot of "there is a job for you with a 737 TR".
Lots of youngsters shelled out for a 737 course only to find he 737 job wasn't with Midland!
Did keep the Midland sim busy though!