I agree that there is simply no comparison between a four year apprenticeship and a six week course. I have done the domestic installer course myself and frankly was shocked (no pun) at how little I was taught. But still passed the electrotechnical, building regs, and 17th edition exams.
I would have absolutely loved to be able to do an apprenticeship, and done it properly. I always wanted to be an 'electrician' and left a secure job to retrain as one. BUT. I was told by three diffeent colleges that there was zero chance of me getting even a one year apprenticeship as part of a course, DUE TO MY AGE. I'm in my forties, and was gutted, as i had saved up just enough money to pay the fees, was working as a spark's mate in a domestic building company, thought i was all set up to do it properly.
Age discrimination got in the way, employers are scared if you're not straight out of school and eager to accept £20 a week. So ... there was a good reason for doing the domestic installers course, I had to. Why is it so hard for non school leavers to get an apprenticeship, aren't we all meant to be flexible and ready to adapt to a changing labour market etc etc, as the free market preachers would like it. Sorry for rant, but there's more to it than just saying the coure is crap (which I would tend to agree with anyway!)