Well after my Abitur (high-school diploma) i tried to get into various colleges for different things (Pedagogy, Singing, Philosophy) but have not had any luck,
so additionally I tried to get into different vocational education for some years and had no luck either.
In all that time I made Praktika (Internships) for the area which fittet me the most (building of musical instruments),
but had no luck getting a proper official education there either. Anyway, I found a very good builder of clavichords and harpsicords who teached me for free in my spare time for about a year.
After this and all the Internships I was able to do more than some of the guys, that had an official education.
Later on I was able to get regular work in a local workshop for drums of all sorts and am the leading builder there by now for 20 hours the week.
I am using the rest of the time to create my own much more complicated stuff (hurdy gurdys) and sell it, as soon as it is good enough.
No luck with officials, but selfmade man - you could say. I heard that this is more like the american way. ^^