To go back to my original thread, the so called training is not to guarantee any pass at all. But to give prospective candidates a far greater knowledge of ATC than the suggested reading. Therefore this knowledge should give the candidate an advantage over someone else who has only read the minimum required.
The interviews are designed to test
aptitude, not knowledge.
I would personally employ a person who has gone further, (using whichever method), to obtain the knowledge required to get a job. It shows determination to succeed.
Personally, I would employ someone who demonstrated a calm temperament under pressure, showed an ability to think laterally to solve problems and was able to multitask, regardless of their level of knowledge of ATC or determination to succeed.
If those skills and abilities were missing, but the candidate had an encylopaedic knowledge of ATC, I'd show him or her the door.