Do you mean by ''as a student'' an unpaid full time worker?
there is no such a thing as student it's either you join as an apprentice and complete an apprenticeship, or join straight as a fitter, since you've done your B1 modules already I don't think an employer would give you the apprenticship post as you're regarded over qualified for that.
So fitter is the only option, or an unpaid fitter (which I don't see the point in doing that unless you're out of hope to find a job and it's the only optiojn to obtain a licence).
Any time spent outside the maintenance field does not count, it has to be full 2 years.
prat and whitney is not an airline or a 145 MRO, they are a manufacturer, I'm not sure if that experience counts to be frank, and I don't think that they allow someone to do unpaid work.