I've flown with numerous cadets who are now wide bodied skippers and they are awesome, great guys and ultra competent. But they were recruited through a rigorous selection process and the airline paid for their course. They also spent years as S/O's doing simulators every two months and gaining exposure before they upgraded.
The $150K buy a job scheme is what sux, you're not getting the best guys you're finding the guys who have the money and the result is Jet Star save **** loads of money by getting dirt cheap FO's for a year.
The industry in plagued with expenses and now you have this? $150K
They won't be getting the best guys for the job .... who has two arms some eye's and a big cheque book.
You can't pigeon hole the G.A. pilot and say he's only flown in the bush so he doesn't know airline flying. When I had 1500hrs I was flying a turbine IFR and shooting approaches all the time, plenty of G.A. guys do some decent flying and believe me IT DOES COUNT!
Cadet schemes traditionally were imposed to attract pilots because there wasn't enough applicants. There are loads of applicants for Jet Star in Australia but some of those poor buggers don't have $35K to dump on a type rating.