Think about it,

if you passed your test in an automatic car, you can only drive automatics.

you then go to buy your 1st car, which HAS to be an automatic, you'll be trying to find something that rare as hens teeth and once you do find something suitable, you'll be paying over the odds for it..........

how many automatic fiestas/corsas etc are out there (as opposed to manuals)

if you passed your test in a manual car, then this means you can drive both manuals and automatics and trying to find a suitable 1st car will be far far easier

hope that makes sense....