So shortage in Europe does not exist. As long as ANSP concers expat ATCOs as students. Story of shortage is more connected with union and associations matters
Lets get one thing straight. The ANSP wants a bum on a seat as quickly as possible. They would want that experienced controller working on the sector the day after they employ them. The REGULATOR is the one that imposes training times & competency lengths on the ANSP. This has nothing to do with union & association matters.
The REGULATOR allows us to employ experienced ATC's without having to put them through the BASIC course because they have a proven Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). This means we can train these experienced ATC's at the centre directly. Within this program we have made other efficiencies for experienced ATC's but at the end of the day what the REGULATOR MANDATES we cannot avoid. There is a shortage but it takes a long time to alleviate this shortage because we CANNOT amend the course due to the REGULATIONS imposed on us.
I think you will find in LVNL,NATS,DFS,BELGOCONTROL etc this will be the same problem.