I can't see your credit rating being a problem, it wasn't for the last intake. How can a 18/19 yr old get a good credit rating anyway?
If I remember rightly, in the "good old days" the cadets weren't paid anywhere near minimum wage as they are today, nor did they have structured weeks/hours.
You are right though, it looks to be a long road from starting as a cadet to RHS. I also heard that some cadets left (not sacked) and are going through courts. Just shows you the decisions we make can take us on a completely different path, I hear the guys that stayed are first officers now. Who made the better decision?