grababadger,
If it's not a daft question....why do you intend to get your licence...and then leave the industry?. This would, being logical, seem to be a counter productive course of action to take if you really want to change direction.
As for the apprenticeship issue, I wouldn't get overly concerned. When apprenticeships were the normal route, there were plenty of antagonists around who felt that unless you had completed a BA / BEA / BOAC / Woodford / Chadderton / Chester / Dunsfold etc etc version ( select location of choice here ) you had not done a "proper" apprenticeship.....as I was duly informed by at least 3 "managers" over the years in respect of my sabbatical at the Halton Hilton....the same comments were also applied to those trained in the FAA by the way.