I am interested in knowing what your career is /g/. How did you get there and what did you have to practice?

IDEALLY, I want to do some kind of work with linux distributions and virtual machines. I can program a bit but my code comes out really hard headed and brutish. I can trouble shoot very well and I write good documentation. I currently work as a standard computer technician for a university. It doesn't pay super well but they have good benefits and its my first full time job here in maine.

What can I do to improve myself? What is my next step? How did you start out and where are you now, career wise.