Garn, do yourself a favour and get hold of Stroud Engineering Mathematics. Go through this when the apprentiship gives you a chance, and that degree stuff will eventually be a breeze.
If i had my time over i would have beaten a path to Westland instead of chosing the financial security offered by an apprentiship at Rover...
PS: I'm a professional engineer who holds a skilled technician in high esteem.
HUMS, i've worked my way up to shoe-shine-boy, i don't know why you think engineers are trodden on in UK.