The way I learnt to use a DSLR, was to not let myself leave "Manual" mode. It takes longer, but that is why we have DSLR's to get full manual features, not preset apertures and exposure lengths in the other modes. As you know it's a great learning curve, takes a couple of months to get the hang of it, then you just get more and more fluent. Before we know it, it's second nature to zoom, focus, set exposure length and set aperture then click. That process use to take me about 30 seconds, now less than 2.
I am sure he will be pleased with the purchase.
once you get on top of your work flow and get to know your personal preferences, you'll find your RAW processes images will be far far far superior to regular jpeg and take your photos from good to great. I've rescued many a shot from poor exposure/lighting because they were shot in raw. Ultimately, it will depend on what the final images are intended for and how much time you want to invest in processing and editing your final images. 
