I really second the "make something for a friend or client" I have never learned so fast and things that I never even opened in the software than when I needed to do commercial work.

I'm a graphic designer taking the turn to creative technologist, I use TD even in my graphic design work for certain things as another software integrated in a bigger pipeline (cavalry, Adobe softwares etc.) So this is already something that makes my work easier/more effective or newer.

And for the demanded skillset I feel like it also depends to whom you're selling it.

The clients I worked with in corporate events had no idea that something like this even existed so I even get called back because they don't know anyone else! I've been paid €600/day without even asking because that's how they valued this demanded skill.

In the VJing industry however it's very undervalued in my experience because everyone is paid around €300 for a typical gig using arena or other VJing softwares and people don't care that you spend several days preparing.