In response to Mach 1.1 comment on my Point 4, I was not referring to FTE. I trained 2 FTE grads as FI’s a couple of years back an there were a cut above in terms of their knowledge compared with 2 from an ATO who does training in a sunny, dry place in the US. At least they knew their way around UK airspace or cottoned on to it quicker that the aforementioned other two.
However, very recently I took on board a grad from the other place for an FI rating and his fundamental basic PPL knowledge was appalling. His general handling was adequate but his situation awareness and basic operating in UK VFR was completely lacking. When he remarked that all the flying he had done in the UK was IR; I asked him some questions about choosing alternates and LVP’s and he hadn’t a clue. Sic: “the Alternates on the IR Flight Plans are standard and filed by Ops”!
I suggested, in concurrence with our HoT, that he would be better served by getting to grips with basic PPL knowledge and some currency on VFR flying in the UK before returning to the course. When he later went to another place to do his FIC course the FIC Instructor there came to the same conclusions as I did.
Hence my generic comments about the general trend of Integrated ATO towards lowered standards not specifically FTE.