Speedbird,
Can you afford to go the whole hog and do the approach procedural ticketl? Even better if you can afford the approach radar ticket as well.
There are a lot of people out there with unvalidated aerodrome ratings, and they all live in the, for the most part, unrealistic dreamworld that they are going to get taken on and that someone else is going to pay for their APC and APR courses.
The fact is, that it very very rarely happens, the majority of airports have their own in house training schemes and promote from within the existing ATCAs.
If you have ADC and APC, you stand a lot better chance of getting a job with a long term view of eventually getting radar course. If you have APR, you'd be in a stronger position still.
Consider approaching a local airport and asking them if they'd let you train for a validation there for a nominal salary of £1 per year or so, (you'd have to be employed for insurance purposes).
Once you are valid you can either look for work elsewhere, or, given the rate of ATCO retirements at the moment and for a few years to come, there may well be an opening for you there.
You've obviously assessed the risk and commitment required, so take it a few steps further, and plead to your parents, turn your Granny upside down or rob a bank and go the whole hog.
Good luck.