Hi BubbleO,
Interesting post and your other reply had good advice.
Every FTO, especially the Integrated ones want your money. It isn't a problem but it must never be forgotten. If an Integrated doesn't like you, they will do nothing for you at the end, so I'd save my money and go modular.
I would recommend initial training in the UK just to get used to airspace, radio and procedures. By all means hour build abroad, the experience is invaluable and potentially a lot cheaper than here.
As a suggested time line, I would recommend
Class One medical
PPL ground schooling
PPL flight training
some hour building
ATPL studies
remaining hour building with night and ME
CPL
IR
and these are the reasons.
1. Get the medical before you start anything. Not cheap, only available at Gatwick.
2. PPL ground schooling. Do not underestimate how important this is, and the better your training in this area, the easier things will be later. I believe somewhere near Bournemouth offers a fulltime course for this.
3. Get a PPL here. It will be cheaper abroad but you will often get what you paid for and it will haunt you later. Try the PPL at Cambridge through Marshalls. Top grade instruction and a long course- more than the CAA require however you will get about the best PPL there is.
4. Do some hour building, here or abroad and really push yourself. People squander hour building in a rush to get to CPL. Don't waste it. Keep some hour buidling to come back to though after ATPLs
5. ATPLs. Plenty of modular places that do it, take what suits you. Full time is easier than distance learning if you can afford to do that. Remember, once you finish, the clock is ticking for the exam validity and you must then pace your CPL and IR accordingly. See the CAA online LASORS guide for the validity dates (Google it)
6. Finish remaining hour building which will get you back up to speed prior to starting a CPL course. If abroad, make sure you get 5 night hours in there and perhaps you could do a ME as well, as it will be cheaper than the UK. No point doing it any earlier as it only lasts 12 months so better to do it close to the time you will use it.
7. CPL and IR. Could be done here or in a JAA country however check the CAA about this before deciding.
Historically, instructing was a common way to build hours and although the pay can be lousy, the experience can be excellent and you will learn much about flying.
If you put your mind to it, you could cover this comfortably in about 18 months, possibly sooner.
As for jobs?..........there is no right way to go about it. Hard workers however do end up with the positions they want. How long it might take is the big unknown.
Best of Luck.