DWB, only 40 you cheeky B. Will be down at CATC next week (oops maybe not CATC now, showing my age). As I said, if you can choose Approach, do so. I was at LATCC and one of the guys on my watch said "go for area". After x amount of years in the job and doing both "go approach" if possible. Sorry losing the thread here. You will be, I think, made to do "Area Control" which on one hand is good (for NATS anyway), but bad for for the future. Meaning that if you do AREA then you have a choice of 3 places to work:- NERC, EGCC, or SCOATCC. If you do Approach then you can work at any airport in the country from Lands End to Stornaway.