I'm an Aus controller (in Melbourne) so can't answer from a UK perspective but I'll answer what I can. I do work with a former UK controller FWIW.
1. I don't think there were too many lost due to failing on the previous experienced courses six or seven years ago. Not saying the training is soft (I don't think it is) but as an experienced controller you should have the necessary skills and mainly need to learn a new system and our idiosyncrasies.
We have electronic strips on screen instead of paper - scanning the display is the primary separation tool rather than the strips. There's a route function that displays the planned route of the aircraft and a time of passing function that displays how close they'll get and the estimated time. Strips are more a means of data entry and checking that separation.
These are sector boundaries to give you an idea of the sizes - the circle around Melbourne (YWE/ELW/WON - bottom right) is 100NM to give some perspective:
http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/.../australia.pdf
See the sector FOR (bottom centre)? That would be larger than the entire UK. Not much traffic however
Here's some more perspective:
http://www.britzinoz.com/wp-content/...aus-europe.jpg
ML ATSC 2000
The consoles haven't changed significantly from the above pic. On the lower left is the voice switch (intercoms and frequencies), centre is the main display and right is the auxiliary display (you can see some strips displayed there).
2. You could be doing anything from arrivals to radar en-route to large mainly ADS-B surveillance sectors (where you'll still need procedural skills) to mixtures of the preceding to sectors that are mixes of G, E, C and A and abut procedural towers and military airspace.
Morning, midday and evening are the busier times around the cities but early morning for the big ADS-B sectors due to international traffic. If you're controlling around Perth there is a two or three hour time difference (we have daylight savings and they don't).
3. Very much depends on the sectors you're working. As a controller with all the ratings in my group I nominally work MMAANNOOO. Those with fewer ratings might work MMAAOO. But that's just my group.
Like any large organisation it has its good and bad points. I enjoy the work, usually manage to ignore the bullsh!t and just get on with it. As much as most of us like to gripe, on the scale of things it could be far worse.
There is some social activity but given the many and varied shifts it can be a bugger to organise anything. Throw in family stuff and it can be rather limited. We don't work in teams as such which does mean you don't see too much of those who annoy you
4. I know a few pulled the plug at the end of their contract but I think that was genuinely personal choice and not leaping before being pushed. I don't know the actual process but as far as I know the rest got
PR & continued employment. Not all marriages survived however. My personal opinion is we aren't that flush with staff that we can afford to ditch a rated controller if they want to stay and are performing.