Socio economic background?
As far as I know there are over a dozen flight training organisations around Australia that will put your whole flying bill on Fee Help. I don't see how disadvantage plays into it anymore. Some of them don't even require completion of Yr12. They might be charging 20% more than non fee help schools but that's the nature of the beast.
For everyone out there saying that taking on six cadets for the scheme is a waste of time should just hold on a bit. This is probably being viewed as a trial scheme at the moment and if it proves successful, you will see a lot more people coming into the Virgin Group this way. Qantas had cadets and now Virgin does too!
I think its just a way to keep a stable workforce on the ATR 'cause after 5 minutes in the turbo prop the DEFO's will be screaming for a 738