x-border,
Glad to see another fellow crawling out of the woodwork!
The ADC Course/APC costs around £6000-£6500, but I suggest you contact the college direct (see above details) for up to date info.
Your NATS employment doesn't start until you get to your unit as it is a sponsorship scheme, and they aint gonna pay you a wage until they are sure you are gonna benefit the company.(ie pass the courses). Remember you have a lot of "developed habits" as an experienced military controller that they have to kick out of you at CATC!
The only way to bypass this is to do the full 12/18 month course as a Student ATCO. Doing this means you will only go onto the Training and Development (T & D) pay scale as opposed to going straight to the ATCO 2/3 scale after the APC route.
Manchester is virtually a no-no for NATS first tourists as the waiting list for existing NATS employees to go there is longer than you would care to imagine. (So I believe)
Your first posting that you negotiate during your initial selection/interviews will try to take into account any extenuating circumstances, (wife/sprogs/parents in ill health etc) but after you are posted and validated, (as it is called in civvyish) you are in the same melting pot as all other NATS employees. Generally, you will not be moved unless you specifically request it AND have good reason, or the company require you to be somewheres else!
Phew! My keyboard aint used to all this work....better go have a beer!
Cheers.
Oh btw, Aberdeen is dead easy to negotiate for!!!!!!!
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Speedbird 123 Contact Seaton Radar on 124.37.......ahhhh !!!!!!
[This message has been edited by Dunx (edited 16 November 2000).]