+1 to this. I did Heathrow to Bermondsey for £110 (first time in London). Then next morning, found myself wondering why I didn't just use the train. On the way out, I did use the train, and lets just say, I still think about that £110.
It’s mostly trial and error. Based on my experience, I created a fictional project to identify reliable professionals. Through this process, I found a skilled developer, a UI/UX designer, and a graphic designer. We’ve recently completed an actual project together.
In 2003/2004, during my undergrad, I observed a recurring trend in the university's IT department. They struggled to retain Unix/Linux engineers for more than three months, primarily due to two reasons: the university's remote location (apparently engineers loved the city life) and the local telecom companies' at the time hired anyone who could type "ls" on a Linux shell. Recognizing an opportunity, I began self-studying FreeBSD and Linux, the operating systems used by the university for their internet services like DNS, email, and proxy servers. Before completing my degree, I applied for the sysadmin position at the uni. In the interviews, I was able to explain and answer even the hardest of questions. I was hired. I eventually went to "ls" elsewhere as well but this role, which I held for eight years, provided me with a foundational knowledge that I believe influences my career even to date!
My experience with Ubiquiti has only been positive. Granted the largest deployment I have made with their AP's is from 2010 (60+ Aps + Cisco backend + PacketFence). A lot could have changed especially with vendor lock-in that the article points out. At my current work place we use 10 AP's with a mix of Cisco and HP gear for Core and Access layers and everything works ok.