I commute on LGWEF from ABZ to LGW and occasionally to LHR. While all of the crews are friendly, cheery and bloody great at their job, it's the Gatwick crew who have usually been down the bar the afternoon before their early flight to Gatwick having a few drinks and a bite to eat.
I always try to make an effort to speak to the fab guys and girls at LGWEF on the way down to London and you can just tell that, with very few exceptions, they absolutely love their job.... and their base.
The Heathrow crews are the same in that they love their job but money features highly in their list of priorities (fair play to you - it does for me, too!) while the Gatwick crew seem more interested in what to do downroute.
If you're young, I would certainly say that LGWEF is a great place to be. You've got time to move over to LHR and then progress to Worldwide.