First some words that served me well during my working career:
Read & Study, Read & Study and Read & Study some more. The wider your background, the wider your possibilities.
- And Now, In No Particular Order -
Invest in yourself, don't hesitate to buy a book, a piece of hardware or software, or whatever.
It is easier to get forgiveness then it is to get permission.
Don't take a 'NO' from somebody who does not have the authority to say 'YES'.
When asked 'Can you ...' the answer is 'YES', then hit the library, the web, or ... If they knew who else could, they would have asked them, and if you fail, well, they couldn't do it either.
Failure is Learning
Only those who don't try, don't fail