Question for programmers

How much time did it take for you, as a programmer (frontend), to commence learning and earning your initial income? I'm excluding university graduates from this discussion. What advice can you offer on acquiring clients in this field?

My advice
1) After college/school/whatever education you have, try to network and get hold of a placement company/agent/consultant/head hunter (I don't know a broker or whatever they are calling him/them/her now a days) who has a track record of successful placement and whom you can trust.
2) off load all your job hunt on him/her/them , let that 3%&*^# take his/her cut(they all do)
3) Start working