Mystie, I learned CNC programming on my own. I never went to school for it, nor did I have any mentors or friends to ask questions in person. It took me several years, but before I ever even touched a CNC machine, I had a good idea of what I was doing. Not great, but I had a decent understanding of the concept.
First, read this and other reputable forums. Start at page one and take as many months as you need to get to the current page. Learn to decipher who knows what they're talking about and who doesn't! There is some mighty fine machinists here, but there are a few you want to avoid. (Luckily this particular forum is quite good in that regard)
Second, go to
this page and read some more. Be aware that the manuals on that page are for current Haas controls, and dependant on what era machines you'll be around, may have some incorrect information.
Third, buy a book or two. Peter Smid is one author that everyone seems to agree is compitent.
You say you'll be loading parts, which makes you an operator. In your reading, try to concentrate on things like:
-How to load programs into the control
-How to set work offsets
-How to set and adjust tool offsets
-Fixturing
-Speeds and feeds (watch as many youtube (etc.) videos as you can to get a feel for what all this is supposed to sound like, but beware there are some very bad examples out there as well.)
-Quality control, as in measuring parts and comparing those measurements with the print
As you get more comfortable with the above, maybe you can show your employer that you are interested in furthering your knowledge and experience, then the practical application will follow the theory you've learned.
When you run into a problem or question that you can't solve with research, ask here.
My first piece of advice: The 5% rapid button is your best friend! No program, no matter how it was written (CAM or hand), is trustworthy until it has been proven. All it takes is one misplaced decimal to create several thousand dollars worth of damage.