I also agree that throwing away the degreee would be a mistake. It is "far more useful on the outside" unless of course what you really want is to be a licensed engineer!!!!!!!!
Sounds facetious, but not really, that degree could give you an edge later in your career or an alternative if things go wrong. You have invested the time so dont throw it away.
My employer has recently taken on apprentices in their mid twenties so it is not impossible to get a position slightly later in life. The attitude taken by some employers is something of a joke. The drop out rate for apprentices is high whereas someone like you who has a proven abilty to stay the course would be a much better bet.