Im a graduate and used to work in the leisure industry. I earned more when training as an ATCO than when I worked in the middle east in the leisure industry.
Another point - although you'll have to work shifts, you wont be getting home from work 12 hours after you left in the morning. Like a lot of people do (unless of course you go to the pub after a hard day 'pushing tin'
)
Anyway, youll start at CATC on about £17K (im not sure about the exact figure) plus an accomodation allowance and expenses to travel home once a month. Total package is worth just over £20K - this phase is upto 18 months
Then at your unit you will be on a 2 year scale which has 4 points. Starts about 22K and goes up £1500 every 6 months. On top of this you get £4200 shift allowance, a small amount of 'home to duty' petrol money, and if you are near London a weighting of about £1300
After you validate you go onto the ATCO scale (after the initial 2 years of course) Either ATCO3 or ATCO2 (depending on your unit) - ATCO 2 goes up the salary scale quicker and has a higher limit (about £60k or thereabouts). If you want to go management route you might become ATCO1 and earn more.
There are other allowances that I havent got a clue about (instructor allowances etc)
So, in short - the younger you join, the more you earn 'cause its all based on service years you see! therefore your friends at 23/24 can be earning the same as someone at 30 who joined the company at the same time.
The argument over pay at the moment is not disputing that we are relatively well off (compared to Joe Public). The question is ARE WE BEING PAID WHAT WE DESERVE? eg compared to pilots, the **** we have had to deal with recently etc etc. But that is a whole new thread............................
Hope this is helpful - Im sure someone will come along and give the exact figures in due course
GW