Turbulent Flow, I would suggest that, at age 30, intergrated training would be a waste of money and you'd better off with a modular training programme i.e. PPL, ATPL exams, CPL/IR traing etc.
If you do the modular programme, you cannot take the ATPL exams unless you already hold a PPL. The PPL exams are designed around UK flying (if you do your PPL in the UK; otherwise the PPL exams which be more relevant to the country in which you learn to fly) and are a different kettle of fish to ATPL which are more based on ICAO regs.
If I gain all my licenses will my lack of academic qualifications hamper my chances of a job?
It
might do with the big airlines but, on the whole, I'd say it wouldn't. As long as you can write a CV and a covering letter (which it appears as if you can as long as you avoid the flying apostrohes
) and make the contacts in the business, you stand as good a chance as anyone else!