Baseline Skill

When it comes to tech, I believe that baseline skills and the ability to learn, are more important than just skills alone. If a software developer knows core programming (OOP), mathematics, data structures, algorithms, and SQL, he/she should be able to learn any other associated technology rather quickly. Because the developer has a baseline knowledge and knows how to correctly use the foregoing, picking up on newer topics and trends should be a breeze.

I use this specific learning algorithm for new company related technologies.
(2hrs * WDW) +  5hrs = WST
WST * 4 = MST
The 5hrs are weekend study hours. The WDW means weekdays worked, WST means weekly study time, and MST means monthly study time. To get the monthly study time, MST, just take WST * 4 = MST. So if a person works a five day work week for one month, the MST would be approximately 60. Two months on a new job should yield around 120 hours of studying, which will normally put a new employee at a very effective spot. The reason I say approximate because of monthly length deviations in our calendars.

All study hours while using this method should be applied off the clock, unless your company is cool with it. I love learning and don't mind studying on my own time in order to keep increasing productivity.