I did an armed forces apprenticeship (3 Years)and worked in a hangar and on the line. On leaving the RAF, I somehow got a job with an airline with no licences. I self studied for the first two, then the company I worked for sent me on a 4 week radio/radar course. I still have exams to do for rotary autopilots and combined autopilots. If I'd stayed with my previous company I might have been given courses, but I was attracted by the lure of a half decent wage and decided to go contracting. Now I feel a bit stuck for studying. It's very hard to motivate yourself to study working long shifts, and if I take time off to attend a course, then I lose out on money as I don't get paid if I don't work.
Once I get my full JAR66 B2ticket (avionics) I would probably prefer to attempt an A+P before attempting the CAA exams as the A+P carries more weight in the world market.