Successful cadets will have done in 100 weeks, what GA drivers will have taken twice that long to do...
A GA pilot does not "take longer" to gain qualifications. This is ridiculous. In fact, they complete the same qualifications in exactly the same time e.g. both will do the same airbus rating in exactly the same amount of time. If they had all of their training lined up for them from day one, they would be qualified in 100 weeks too!
Also, someone who has been flying commercially for 7+ years is probably a Saab captain or similar, not a 210 bush pilot. This brings with it years of CRM experience, decision making experience, weather flying experience, etc, etc. You learn the theory in the classroom, but you can only become good at it by doing it over and over and learning some tough lessons along the way.
I was told when I got my CPL that it was a ticket to START learning. Looking back, how true that was. You don't know what you don't know. Why do you think Qantas send their cadets to GA for two years before employing them as cruise pilots, where they will spend more years watching and learning before being put in the seat?
Another thought is the cockpit gradient. Australia is not used to such a steep gradient. There have been
many accidents overseas where the low time FO literally watches the Captain crash the aircraft.
I would encourage anyone coming through the scheme, but I just think it's a real shame that the position is being devalued (i.e. We will not increase conditions to attract and
retain good First Officers, we will just lower the bar to entry and increase supply thereby reducing conditions). It makes the industry increasingly less attractive to "bright" people.