Sorry C173, I think I miss your point. Whats your no come back argument?
Cadets have been happening throughout the world for some time. Its only now that Oz GA pilots are finding that they can no longer buy their type rating and their jet job, because someone else has bought the type rating before them, that it seems to have become a problem. It would seem that the conditions of employment for these cadets was agreed upon by the federation and the Jetstar pilot body, so why should anyone not in this group care? Unless it stops them buying their own way in.
If the quality of the graduated cadet released to line seems be a problem, it would be a problem with the training department for not doing their job correctly. If there is a problem with the ex GA skygod captains flying with graduated cadets, it would once again be a problem with the training department for the quality of its command course.
Where I work at the moment, cadets graduate straight to the right hand seat of the A330 or B777. They are required to pass the same checks to the same standard as none cadet FOs. If they can't, they are either retrained or dismissed. The next flight after they graduate may be over the Bay of Bengal in the middle of the monsoon, or to Moscow in the middle of winter. When they achieve 6000hrs, they are eligible for a command. They complete the same upgrade course to the same standard as everyone else or they don't pass.
This company has been hiring between 500 to 700 pilots a year from many years. At the moment they are taking all the ex ryan air and easy jet ex cadets they can get, as they are very happy with the high standard of the product that is produced. At these companies ex cadet FOs may be offered commands on A320s or B737 with as little as 2500hrs.
The best experience for a future A320/B737 captain is to fly a A320/B737 and to be taught how to operate it correctly. Working for a GA company being paid under award salaries, flying antique aircraft VFR may prepare you for the ever decreasing T&Cs of the aviation industry (see the above about buying type ratings etc), but does little else.
If you go the GA route enjoy the flying and the variety and the special locations. Just because you have done the hard yards does not entitle you anything except more hard yards. The world has moved on. If you go the Cadet route be careful hiring a light aircraft for that weekend fly away, as you will have no idea of how those small aircraft work.
The Don