Beamwidth,
Cut the guy some slack
As an ATCO you'll understand the need for receiving all of the information when doing your job etc...
Underdog didn't disclose the full facts of his application history - people can only comment on the information they have been given. If it's not a full and thorough brief, then you can't expect a fully balanced reply!!
The part about the state of aviation industry and prospect for ATCO employment was pretty generic, which leads people to answer generically
to other questions within the post.
I personally know of one person who joined NATS and got half way through training before resigning because they 'suddenly' realised they would have to work shifts when at a unit... to me, that lack of knowledge is unnaceptable in an applicant, especially when going for a job that requires precision and accuracy.
That said, now that the full story has emerged about the IAA etc and SPC7SPC8, then one can only sympathise with
underdog.
Now armed with the full facts my advice would be to ask the following questions, only
underdog can answer them -
Do you
really enjoy your Public Sector job?
Is it a merely a job or a vocation?
What are the future prospects for it vis a vis promotion etc?
Are you financially stable enough to take no pay on until you pass the course?
Are you financially stable enough to spend some time on unemployment benefits if, heaven forbid, you fail the course and then have a few months jobs searching in the current financial climate?
Would you be able to go back to your old job easily enough if you failed the course (probably difficult in Public Sector)?
Is your passion for aviation large enough to overcome some of the problems in the above questions?
Finally beamwidth asks:
In the present situation in Ireland, with unemployment tipping 10% and increasing. Why would anyone leave a secure job, to take up a voluntary position, with no guarantee of success, nor possibly of a job at the end of it!
That's a risk that needs to be considered by the individual; plenty people have done it in other areas.
I know NATS would like to go down the route of self funding - the day they do will be a bad one, the pay cut that our students received not too long ago was bad enough.