Self funding is a hard pill to swallow after paying out for all the other training.
The eastern scheme means that you effectively end up working for free for 6 months, which is about the time span it takes you to become useful to them. In return you get a permenant job, a salary (from day 1) , paid holidays, a uniform, staff parking, id pass etc. The training is good, and majority of the staff are friendly and good to work with. You will be kept busy and, whatever your background will learn a great deal.
The 1000 hour is not set in stone, but realistically they need a decent pool of crew who are eligible for command within a year or so of joining, therefore the number of low hours people are kept low.
The company ethos is not to everyones taste, but it has kept us all employed and paid each month during difficult times.