I don't think it's in the manipulation of the jet (few simple rules and methods will keep you out of trouble for a while until you learn from the Capitan), rather everything else that makes the job a lot easier if you have prior experience in other types of flying.
I came from GA and several years of flying turboprops in the left seat to a jet. If I was having to learn things like how to fly IFR at the same time as learning how to fly a jet, I would have found it much more difficult and picking it up would have taken some time.
Cadetships are the future, can't deny it. But Jetstar's isn't a Cadetship. It's a pay for a job program.
morno