May not be helpful but I too had this problem after finishing university in July this year. However I decided that to do a job I have always wanted to do was worth a risk, got a postgraduate loand from a bank and am now on an intergrated ATPL course. Oh and I started the day after the twin towers!!
If you really want it you may have to take a risk, JAA allows you the chance to look for a job in many countrys so one will come up even if it isnt with a large airline at first.