Since you haven't got any answers from offshore-pilots, I might as well come with an input.
I work for an inland-company (mostly sling-load and other aerial work). We use the AS 350-family helicopters, and fly single-pilot.
To recruit new pilots, we employ pilots fresh from school, and they work a few years as "load-masters" before they get a "trainee"-contract.
As Trainees, they get the type-rating, but need 150 hrs in turbine helicopters before they are allowed to fly solo. To achieve that we have a "PICUS"-system (Pilot-In-Command-Under-Supervision), where the trainee act as PIC, but with an experieced pilot in the left seat, and with dual-controls.
In practice, that means our Trainees have accumulated something around 5-600 hrs before they become Commanders.
And a total of 3-5 years from first employment as Loadmasters, until they are Pilots.
That way every pilot has a deep understanding of most of our operations from "ground-level" and up!
