Another good thing to look into would be putting some hours in at a bike co-op if your town has one. I've got 3 years as an experienced shop mechanic, and then add to that countless hours in co-ops. It is a bit less 'professional' of a workspace, but they are the best for gaining some of that experience that is so tough to come by. They're not my favorites, but you may consider looking into a training program like UBI or Barnett's. Many shops will offer training and info sessions (i.e. Park Tool School) or will allow you to volunteer some time there as training as well. It is hard to turn down free labor.