How Much of Your Skill-Building Was On-the-Job?

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask for help on this, but long story short: I can't afford the Articulate subscription and, of course, I can't do another free trial.  My employer has been frustratingly slow to providing this tool for me to be able to make higher quality content.  I've been asking for a year - it was given, then taken away to give to someone else almost immediately afterwards, and I'm approaching the end of my rope. 

I want to build a portfolio, but I'm afraid to post my current material because it seems every job posting requires demonstrable Articulate experience.  PowerPoint has been the only software I've had access to, and while I have made it as visually pleasing, interactive, and as engaging as it could possibly be, we all know there are limitations and gaps that Articulate closes nicely.  Let's face it, it's pretty much industry standard.

Did any of you get started somewhere without a ton of hands-on experience with this particular software?  Has it ever been your experience that they were okay with you learning as you go?  Would you suggest somewhere else I should ask for help?