You missed the important part of that statement, the "in their spare time".
Learning and practicing on the job is one thing, expecting it in the remaining 1/3 of your life is too much.
Learning and practicing on the job is one thing, expecting it in the remaining 1/3 of your life is too much.
You can be a fine developer who just clocks in and out. But if I had a choice (and sometime I don't). I would choose the guy who loves what they do and does it in their "spare" time.