The concept of cadets flying airliners is fine in concept - the military have been taking kids off the street, training them and then sending them out in fighter airplanes with only a few hundred hours for years.
Unfortunately, from what I have observed, the selection process for airline cadet programmes tends to be based heavily on how strong the bank account is that is funding the training...
The unfortunate fact is the MERIT based system of becomming an Airline Pilot is fast evaporating. Maybe this is what Bruce Buchanan refers to when he stated "this attractive program which seeks to remove some of the traditional barriers to becomming an airline pilot.
At what point are the Cadets employed by Jetstar, after gaining all their qualifications & experience?
If they were employed first up, then whilst employed completed all their training & endorsements. I would understand the cost of the training being legitimately salary sacrificed (tax deductable).
If they are employed after attaining all their qualifications & experience, then the job offer & acceptance would be on condition that the qualifications & experience was a pre-requisite prior to employment. Including all that ab initio training. So how could that be tax deductable?
It would be comparable to someone training privately to attain all their qualifications & experience, then once employed in GA salary sacrificing or claiming as a tax deduction all the cost of their training.