I'm a grad student right now and a part-time salesman and grease-monkey in a shop. I do school 3 days a work, work three days a week, and rest on Sunday. It's a good life. The employee discount is the way to go. As far as degrees go, I have plenty already and more on the way, but nothing to do with bikes. Everything I know, I've leared from people who've done this longer than I have, and care about their work. Pick it up that way, and add your training to it, you should have a good start.