I have a background in science and have a degree in biotechnology. Since I left school I've mostly worked in immunology labs, but when I was earning the degree I took a course in genetic engineering. One of the procedures we had to successfully perform for the class was to insert a foreign genetic sequence into an E. coli plasmid. It's been a long time since I performed it, but I do remember that I was able to do so successfully on my first attempt. I don't remember all of the details of the procedure today, but I can say that it is not out of the realm of possibility for a person of average intelligence to perform it. It's simply necessary to follow the prescribed recipe exactly. I would compare this to any other procedure I've performed in the laboratory over the years in that it's like baking. In fact, that's one of the slang terms we use for an incubation, "my plate is still cooking, give me a few more minutes and then we'll do lunch."

This analogy to cooking is relevant because it involves all of the same elements. Exact measurements of reagents, temperatures and times yields desired results. Experimentation yields successful "recipes" that must be followed exactly in order to make those results repeatable. People who lack the conscientiousness to do this will notice that they're not very good at baking or laboratory work, since you can't shortcut on any of the steps, you can't do them out of sequence and you can't change the ratios of the ingredients and expect to get a moist and fluffy cake.

Sorry for the ramble here, but it's to illustrate the point that any of these technologies shouldn't be out of reach for a passionate and intelligent layperson to master. I actually think the people who go through schooling are at a disadvantage in certain ways because they're limited by the pace of the classes. I had times that I was overwhelmed with information that I couldn't process quickly enough, and other times when I was bored out of my mind waiting for them to move on.

It took me the whole 4 years to complete my degree, but I remember post-college I got it in my head that I wanted to do more than just wrench on my own cars like I had done out of necessity over the years. I wanted to build a hot rod, and I wanted to do everything myself. I taught myself, in the period of about 6 months, what engineering students spend years mastering. I completely rebuilt the engine that made about 200 horsepower and rev'd to 4500 rpm in stock form and made it into something that made about 350 horsepower and rev'd to almost 8 grand. I manually modified the transmission by reprogramming the valve body circuits and installing heavy duty frictions, along with a higher stall torque converter to be able to launch the car at the appropriate RPM. I re-geared the rear end ratio to accommodate the new power curve of the engine. I even tinkered with the suspension and steering a bit to make that 1960's hunk of junk handle a bit better. Once i got everything dialed in, it ran like that for 40k miles of me beating the living snot out of it before the transmission let go. The engine still ran fine when I got rid of the car.

I never would have developed that skill if I had sought it out in school. I went to school for biotech and I have a professional background in it, but I'm better with the things that I'm self-taught in. At one time I did have a passion for biology and biotech, but schooling killed it for me.