On my course (98) we were told that 8 of us would be going to TWR/APR and the other 17 to Area Control and just who would be decide towards the end of the Aerodrome Course.
'Twas an easy choice for me, I never wanted to be anything but a TWR/APR controller. So come the end of the Aerodrome Course the course manager came in and said "hands up who wants to be an Aerodrome controller". Of the 22 of us left about 17 hands went up
! "Hmmmm" said the course manager. Anyhow they brought in an Area Instructor (John Hallett ???) to give us a talk on Area Control and after that the split was about 50/50. In the end the course manager decided who was going TWR/APR and I was amongst the lucky 8
.
Nice of them to give us a choice though!