ATCO as a Second Career

[dB130]

Good morning

I am hoping for some advice re ATCO as a second career. There's lots of great information on the other threads but in the few hours I've spent lurking about I am yet to find anything that quite hits the spot.

I am a commissioned officer in the armed forces and am looking at a complete career change to ATCO within the next two to fifteen years (!). I am 39 years old, married with 2 young children. Although I am not due to retire from the armed forces until I am 55, I would leave early if conditions were right. I currently have no technical experience in aviation.

NATS selection and training would be a workable solution for me, if they’d have me. Indeed, my intention is to apply when NATS recruitment opens again. However, for fairly obvious reasons, it occurs to me that it would be wise to not be too hopeful of success.

What are the other options open to me, if any? Is it possible to qualify as an ATCO part-time, at my own expense and whilst in full-time employment, or is the only viable solution to find a sponsor, leave full-time employment and train full-time for minimum/no salary? What are the career prospects of a minimally qualified but inexperienced ATCO in the private sector?

Thanks in anticipation.

dB


PS. Despite my age I am at least as awesome as any 20 year old school leaver.