I'd advice you to jump right in, but not before you learn a,b and c. And since you are already using Perl in your current day job, you can set aside some time (not your employer's) for learning essential Perl skills. Next you could apply for a job which would require intermediate Perl skills (are there any out there?) You'll learn on the job. I believe thats one of the best ways to learn something new. Dive right in!