I have a degree.
College start to validation at a London airport in 1 year and 5 weeks.
Perhaps I was lucky and had good OJTIs without a chip on their shoulder.
Now I am an OJTI and I don't feel the need to sniff this kind of back ground out. For me, regardless all trainees get the same chance. If they have made it through a rating course then they deserve my best efforts and no prejudgement.