If you're going to go the civilian route, I recommend saving enough to fund getting your PPL in a month or two of intense training rather than spreading it out over a long period of time. This is, of course, if that pace of learning matches your learning style. You will save a lot of money by doing it that way as your retention and motor skills learning will be better. There are some places that even offer 1-week courses, though that is a REALLY fast and intense program that requires you be a sharp student.
Once you have your PPL, you can more easily build hours towards your future ratings on evenings and weekends. Have a plan when you go flying that builds skill, not just pokes holes in the sky. Working with an instructor will help you figure that out.
There aren't, unfortunately, any opportunities that I'm aware of to get your employer to pay for your training unless you go the military route. If finances are a problem, definitely consider becoming debt-free before you dive into flight training. It's an expensive career change to carry out just after you finished going into student debt for a different line of work.