Groundloop is correct. Those FTOs that say you can do the MPL and then they 'place you' are not what they seem. Check lasors or a great publication called so you want to be a pilot. Found on the GAPAN website.
P2F is an aggresive cancer that is spreading fast. The only way to kill it is to stop people signing their fortunes away to exploited. The buck stops with those who are contemplating such madness.
And for those who would dismiss my comments, just hang around a FR base and ask those contract pilots how much they love their job/employer. Might explain why so many of them are off to the ME.
Agreed options are slim, but have a look at how those waiting in the BA hold pool are realising that 'just doing my time and getting the rating' in EZY and FR has help feed the loco expansion, squeezing the T and Cs of the dream BA job they aspired to. Plenty of threads on here covering that.