hard to tell ELone
There is a course starting next month, and I'm sure there will be 1 or possibly 2 more starting by the end of the year.
The timings have been different for everyone depening on where you are going, when you applied, a bit of luck etc.
I applied November 2009 when the applications were going to be cut off January 2010, then the extended the applications until June that year, so I didn't end up doing my online testing until September, phone interview December, Assessment day February, found out I was in in April and then started at airservices in June.. so the whole process took 19 months for me, and was the same for a couple of others in my course.
If you're doing your assessment day soon though I'd expect that they would want to get you into the academy by the end of the year. I know it's taken 6-7 months for some people between the assessment day and their start date, but most seem to have been closer to 4-5 months.
I know it's a LONG process but I also know they are wading through heaps of applicants so it's always going to take a while. But trust me, once you get the phone call with a start date the time goes quick. I had 3 months and that was only just enough time to get my medical and plan an interstae move!