In reply to the beginning of your post and to make it clear to others;
The cadets that are starting TR's now, started their CTC training in Summer/Autumn 2007. No sign or very little sign of a recession and a great placement history with funding through an unsecured loan. These are the guys (and gals) that have been left to consider whether they want to continue working in temporary jobs, whilst paying off their loan (without being able to afford to live) OR going bankrupt (whilst being able to afford to live)
The cadets that started in 2008 should have seen this coming and stayed clear. However, at the time, CTC were the giver of all news great and encouraged young impressionable "kids" to start, still with an unsecured loan.
Let's make one thing clear here, the folks going through TR and Line Training, and in the hold pool at the moment have UNSECURED LOANS. Mummy and Daddy did NOT pay, they are NOT going to lose their house and it is up to little Jonny to find the money, or face bankruptcy.
So,
Cadet A (let's call him Steve) has finished his CPL/IR with fATPL. He's working in a temp job somewhere, earning under a grand a month (not enough to repay his loan even), has rent and bills to pay (so can't save anything) and has just been given this latest offer.
Steve deferred his repayments to HSBC for 6 months, hoping that a job would come along on the old scheme, where he would do his TR for nothing, then 6 months line training on £1000 a month, then a FO position on £36k a year. That would be great. Instead, the ONLY option available to enter an airline (ie. a job with a large enough salary to repay his loan) is with CTC as a Flexicrew pilot.
Now, I don't want to go into the details of the agreement, those of you who have seen it know what it involves. But basically, it's a lump sum up front followed by pretty poor pay for a long time after. As I said before, he has a choice, to take it, and hope that there's something more to follow or to turn it down.
TURN IT DOWN!!!! I hear you all shout....
Ah, but then Kevin, (who doesn't really talk to the other cadets, and has very rich parents) decides he can live on pittance and takes the job. Where does that leave Steve - at the back of the holdpool again, with no prospects for a long time, still in a temp job, still not paying off his loan and ultimately to bankruptcy.
So why should he take it? Even if he can fund the initial cost, then he still won't have enough to live on and pay back his loan. But - like the guy that's gone to Africa, like all of you who started out somewhere - he has F all to lose. Even if he joins with the rest of his CP in saying no, there will be people to fill his place, other cadets, from OAA, modular cadets etc etc the list is endless. So he has to say yes. He'll beg and borrow from family for the 10k and say yes.
Unfortunately, a few select individuals keep harping on about saying no, and you're degrading Ts and Cs for all blah blah, yes they probably are. But who set those Ts and Cs in the first place? Why not turn your anger onto those who make the decisions, join Balpa and actually acheive something, like securing your OWN job, because this affects every single one of you.
Easyjet know the exact position these cadets are in, and exploit it to the point of slavery. The only people that can stop it are those within eJ itself and BALPA. CTC cadets don't have BALPA recognition so they can't do anything.
What you have to remember is that CTC actually provided and STILL provide cadets of high quality and caliber (I know, I've flown with them as well as other "cadets" from other FTO's), although they are low houred they are good at the job, learn quickly and try hard. The Captains at eJ obviously don't care if they are sat next to someone with bankruptcy looming and stress induced fatigue, who has flu but can't take the day off because they don't get sick pay and they have rent to pay. When the sh1t hits the fan do you think you might prefer someone who is on the ball and able to actually help you? Because I would.
To come back to your post, the people starting CTC now, or airline training in any form, are either extremely deluded, extremely rich, or extremely thick. Now is not the time to start training, nor has it been for the last 18 months.
We need to stick together and get eJ to raise the conditions for all. They made a profit last year (quite a substantial one), much to everyones surprise, and yet they aren't willing to pay for a decent workforce. I really really hope it comes back to kick them in the nuts.
This was only meant to be a short post, if you feel really opposed to what I have said, please put it directly, without insult and we can discuss it as mature adults.