Oh hey, I work in the industry. I studied audio engineering, but now am “forced” to be a composer for Youtubers and brands. (I say forced because it wasn't my first option, but I now love making music for a living!)
u/senbu's is basically the only comment that nails it 100%
spending money to learn about tools like DAWs doesn't traslate to big gains in knowledge.
I'm stealing this because it's so spot on. Couldn't have said it better myself. By far the most important knowledge I have gained for my career has been hardcore music theory and if I could rewind time I'd dump the audio engineering degree and exchange it for four years at a music conservatory.
Which leads perfectly into...
As a composer you need to be a decent musician too if you want to distinguish yourself from the rest.
This was the biggest shock to me. Foot-in-the-door gigs no longer have anything to do with just mixing or just editing. ANYONE can edit audio these days.
Most video editors just mix the audio themselves (oftentimes in the video editing software itself.) Unless you're on a big budget project. But you're not going to get a big budget project for another ten years.
It is no longer acceptable to have a crap sounding demos. Save money for library of sounds that are relevant to your target genre.
I wasn't even supposed to be a composer! I got into this for sound design and mixing other people's records, but nobody needs that anymore and there are enough sound libraries to last us a couple heat-deaths of the universe.
I got into music composing because clients kept asking for the one thing an editor/computer can't do for free: Actual original music.
Develop good relationships and don't get too absorbed in mastering every little detail about the tool.
This is the most important thing of u/senbu's entire comment. It's 100% who you know. Nobody wants to work with a nobody. I had to move to L.A. I don't know where in the world you are but I can assure you that nobody with a real budget is actively looking for contractors they can't meet in person.
Note that most composers (videogame composers, for example) that have made it big off the coat-tails of some indie game got the gig because of how inspired and well composed their music was—not because of anything audio engineering-related.