WWW
Maybe because, in certain circumstances, it is a bit of a lottery.
Direct entry officer - fine, you become an ATCO. If not you get offered another branch. If you can't do that though and try to do it from the bottom rung you still have the "6442, face fits" mentality to get through - and we both know that has nothing to do with future suitability as an ATCO (regardless of what the propoganda from PMC says).
And in both cases - what are you qualified to do when you come out? Because you don't have a licence you can use in the civil world. It's then a case of go through the NATS hoops again or hope for an AVO post at a military airfield.
CM
(15 years a military assistant 'cos the face didn't fit - now a civil ATCO with all 3 airfield ratings - go figure eh
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