My 2 cents (Euro!) worth :

I got into programming during the last weeks of the 1st year maths course at uni. It was Fortran IID then! After understanding nothing, I got my first program to work on the uni's (only!!!) computer (80-column cards, too!). I was hooked! I was back in the computer room the next morning at 8:30 to start the thing up & try some more! The electronics I learnt the hard way, building semi-automatic test equipment for microcomputer boards. The 3 years not spent at college were compensated by 3 years on-the-job learning - being paid focuses your attention!
After a while, you become convinced that you will *always* get the stuff to work, & you're usually right!
People who can solder *and* program are V. useful!

Regards,

Richard