raden wrote:

I am sure that I'm not alone as being a "pick it up type" and someone
with a technical education.

You certainly aren't. Now why is autodidacticism[*] so untrendy at the
moment? Discuss.
[*] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autodidactism - which /inter alia/
contains the fine quotation: "The only thing that interferes with my
learning is my education." (Albert Einstein)

--
Andy