Avoid P2F like the plague! It is only the most likely way in if people are either to stupid (lack of thinking ahead) or too rich to stop and bring this damaging practice to an end. I myself have been present in a sim assesment, where a candidate that had no real hope of successfully completing a 737TR first time, was graded a training risk, only to have this over turned. reason? excess sim availability and the ability to get more money out of the candidate when they would need to repeat sim sessions! The management of airlines consists of bean counters. They are only interested in lowering the bottom line. This also applies to recruitment. Sadly most airlines have allowed HR departments to completly cock the selection system up. P2F lowers safety. Any monkey who scrapped through a CPL/IR can apply and probably be selected. Its an almost no risk position the airline finds itself in. The student takes all the financial risk. The candidate, if really unsuitable, can be dropped at any time.
On another note, paying for an MCC/JOC course is not a waste of time. If you have a fATPL and want to sharpen your skills for the enviroment in which you wish to be employed (multi-crew) then there is no reason why not to. Most sims are of a level that enables you to get some handling practice of a swept wing, high performance jet. Far more practical experience than bombing around in a C152 hours building, although staying current in terms of stick time is a must! Someone who has got some high performance aircraft sim time (JOC course) and some light aircraft stick time and kept 'Current' stands a far higher chance of employment than someone who has sat on their arse for 2 years, only keeping their IR and medical current. Got an Air Cadets gliding SQN near by? Become a Civi Gliding Instructor. Training is free, expenses for travel and subsistence are paid for and after 7 hours on a TMG you can do a check ride, get a TMG rating and hey presto, you can revalidate your SEP rating at the same time.
As the Middle East and Asia recruit. so airlines higer up in the pecking order in the UK need to recruit. This means those in the regional sector looking to move upwards will be able to do so. The regionals will always need to recruit when the cycle gets going full swing.