I think that your idea is crazy... not the part about job based trials, we have discussed this several times in the past, but the idea of locking gear behind it. That's even more extreme than content gating.

Our current system of overgearing serves one simple purpose - to allow players of lower skill to clear content above their abilities. Now you would strip them of the gear (good luck with that as it would cause riots) making them even more stuck in one place. The matter being even worse if you would not allow them to progress through the game. These players would unsubscribe really quickly and game without subs is a dead game.

Basically no sane developer would kick their catered casuals in the nuts. Personally I would not mind your idea... but we want the game to keep going. Look how Wildstar ended with its "hardcore". I would rather not follow such an example.