Good luck to you to mate!
Yes, I should be qualified in around 18 months, give or take. I'd like to do the instructor course too, that way I can keep my hand-in whilst I look for a job.
Yes, I used to do a fair bit of powered hobby flying, but as you can imagine, I haven't been in the air as much as I'd like to have been as of late. I haven't felt like spending a full day standing around the gliding club either, I just got anxious and wished I were working. I love it to bits when I've got plenty of time and a relaxed schedule, but gliding is hard work if you have limited time, and actually want to be in the air.
I worked for Stobarts, and then Turners, the latter of which ran me ragged. In hindsight, I wish I'd have stayed with Stobarts, but I couldn't get a Monday to Friday shift there, so I moved to Turners. I wished I'd have grinned and beared it, as I met some good lads at Stobarts. Turners were bad to work for, they squeezed every last minute out of you, even if it defied any logic or morality. As far as they were concerned, they owned you, and your duty in life was to serve them. Not so bad if all you care about is the money, but I was sort of trying to balance time with my family too, so I wasn't really happy.