Moonwalker
Agreed, it makes no sense. I daily sit next to young FOs, good competent pilots with a few years experience who would do well anywhere, who have £70+ grands worth of training debt trying very hard to get that first jet job.
I also agree that if possible, make your first job the one you want to make a career out of. It never used to be like this, but with the U.K. airlines doing most of their recruiting solely from the cadet schools, unless you want to go east, your options are very limited.
My opinion is that these schools, and the airline's insistence on using them, have created nothing but excessive debt for their customers. Their adverts have young pilots standing confidently infront of 777s etc., but it rarely delivers. The guys I speak to admit that most of the students on their courses still don't have jobs (but they sure as hell have the debt). So, for most, its a case of taking the first job that comes along, even if it is (dread the thought) on TPs.