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Aye, basically, I'm currently going from small job to small job as a technician. I'm pretty sure I don't want to do domestic, more interested in industrial, with an eye on getting a full time job and hopefully working in a team. Being a sole trader or running a business isn't for me (at the moment) but I figure if I do the course I have options at least looking forward - fitting in small jobs between my normal technician work for example.
I know I'll probably need some experience to get a job but I figured the course was a quicker way in. I guess I just feel slightly wary about starting an apprenticeship in my 30s, especially when I'm trying to increase my earnings.
Nef-
It's a good entry point for further education. There are some other courses that cover stuff like carrying out eicr's but they don't like to register people for eicr work without them having some experience of installation (which makes sense).
At 30 you are only a few years behind college apprentices, from my position of a much longer time served! I'd say you would benefit from the course at least for many years, time served as an apprentice will take you further than the course on it's own and you may not find the qualifications relate to the industrial work you are really wanting to do although all the information is in the wiring regulations the installation and testing part doesn't cover much 3 phase for example.
I enjoyed the course and the challenge of passing exams because it had been a long time since I'd been in a classroom and it's like a holiday compared to working on site. :)
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Just to add, if by small works you mean problem solving simple stuff like why do my lights flicker or changing broken fittings etc. the course is overkill but gives a lot of confidence. If you've never changed a breaker then the course is very useful for confidence inside the consumer unit.
If you want to add circuits or install in bathrooms/outdoors which is good money but bigger jobs and plenty of demand you will need to be registered and you will at least need this course before you get accepted by a registered body.
They will also test your competence by coming to view work that you have completed and that work will have to be something that requires registration. It all starts to add up to a situation where working for a firm helps you get registered before you start doing small works on your own.
Airhead
I did the course after 20 years of doing small electrical works. Just to understand the rules etc.
It would probably benefit you to do it as an apprentice if you really want to make it as an electrician. There's a lot more to working in the trade than 4-5 weeks in class can teach. In the years following passing I have found it easy enough to continue to carry out small electrical works and some more complicated stuff but I'm not committed enough to register with a body and I've seen how it's easy to get out of your depth with anything beyond changing a breaker and testing circuits.
On-site experience is so important and it must help to learn in a team that supports you for a few years before you work out what suits you and how much of the maths and testing you are prepared to do.
There are lots of different types of electrical engineer so you have to find out which type you can be and then if that's something you want to do.