Northerner/Junior X
Valid comments - however as we have to AAVA to fill WPP for all sectors, it would just be a case of management massaging validations to reduce the shortrfall in some sectors.
The fact of the matter is, The 3 core sectors need the people they have at the moment, and more, to fulfill WPP. So apart from a buggeration factor, their would in actual fact, be no real gain in manpower.
Sure, during the next year/18 months whilst traffic levels recover (and they will recover and go beyond the previous peak), it might work, but long term, the shortfall is still there.
Of course, that would mean looking at manpower issues long term, which of course we know NATS is not particularly adept at!!