Employ some poor fATPL 250hr guys who are on the dole.
Sorry, but that isn't really what airlines want. Even in the days when you needed 700 hours for a (non approved course) CPL/IR, it wasn't what they wanted.
The advantage to these companies of employing low houred "cadets" is one of cost and flexibility. The risk is the lack of experience.
The advantage for the airlines is that they source the perceived best cadets without any cost penalty from those training establishments that they have an affiliation with. They can see the entire candidates training background, selection screening and progress records. From these they can choose the cadets they feel are best suited. On top of this, they can return the cadet if things don't work out for whatever reason. As a cherry on the icing, the cadets also usually come with a built in bond attached for added security.
The risk is tempered by the quality of both the candidate and the training that candidate receives. This training is monitored and again the candidates whole progress history can be tracked. The methodology and record keeping is usually in the same or a similar format to that the airline uses themselves. The airline can input its own requirements into the training providers courses.
Before the recent recession and medium term down-cycle, the writing was already on the wall with regard to the growth of cadet programmes. As and when expansion returns, the growth will come through these programmes.
The name of the game if you want to be a 250 hour airline pilot, is succeed in securing a cadet placement through one of these programmes, or work your way up through a system that will allow you to apply at the traditional 2000 hour / 500 turbine level.
The industry has evolved and changed (not all of that change has been for the better.) To stand the best chance of success you need to change and adapt with it. Understanding what is happening is important.