Niknak,
As mentioned, I have reasearched into the possibility that one can self fund themselves privately to get an Aerodrome ticket from either ASTAC or BAe Cwmbran for around £25K with the hope that a unit would be willing to take you on and train you up. I have been told from my sources that regional ATC units should be more than interested in taking somebody on provided one approaches them armed with a student ATCO licence.
Oh yes and one needs to also bear in mind that you need a CAA Class 1 Medical before even considering one of these courses else it could be a SERIOUS waste of money...........
Futhermore, from my own experience, I have found the process of trying to join Regional ATC units as an ATSA with a view to progressing on to becoming trained up as an ATCO, a rather challenging one. I am led to believe units receive a large number of potential employees for often just 1 or maybe 2 assistant positions at the very most and I also cannot discount from my thoughts the fact that ATC units look to employ assistants from within the airport.