Jim, as others have commented on here timing is key to securing a job as a low hours pilot and no one can predict when the next upturn in recruitment will occur.
However, NOW is the time to apply for the JN Somers ATPL scholarship, as it is likely that this year's scholarship could be the last.
The JN Somers scholarship is the UK's only indpendent, fully-funded ATPL scholarship and I find it extraordinary that so few individuals apply each year, often as few as 100.
It isn't easy to win, but it would be foolish in the extreme, IMHO, not to apply for a scholarship that is worth in excess of £80,000.
The Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators (GAPAN) administer the scholarship:
www.gapan.org
Alternatively, your son could look at the modular training route, and again GAPAN offer a number of scholarships from PPL upwards. They're not the only ones either. Have a look on the Air League's website as well:
www.airleague.co.uk
Regards, jez