I have to agree with Fred many of the wineries in California are strapped for cash and USE all the free help they can get. They aren't interested in teaching you and don't have the time. I have seen the "I got mine go make your own" attitude among them. They are not bad people, just people living out their dream and don't have much room in the wargon for anyone else.
Beside making the wine is the easy part. With a little practice you can make great wine. its not that hard. It is NOT making the wine that is hard.If you ever open your own winery you will find, it is selling the wine that is hard. Like all businesses, it mainly comes down to selling.
One local gentleman started a winery a few years back and is going great guns. His secret is he can sell bread to a baker. I make about 200-300 gallon of wine a year and I have bought his wine. He talks a good talk. One other advantage he has on his side is he is great at blending average wines, some he makes and some he imports from chile, into some very nice sound drinkable wines. But selling is his strong point in the wine business.
Did I say business? Ya, its a busness. Even if you are growing your own grapes and making wine out back on your own property, there are expenses every month that have to be paid no matter if you sell one bottle or a thousand bottles. In that position, even the persons of best intentions see the value of FREE help, ie cellar rats.
Oh I know of a few Cellar Rats that went on to bigger things. They receive business cards with their names on it. A cool hat with the winery's name on it and they can get the fries with that burger, but not much more. I have one friend who is even the Crush Manager (even said so right on his business card) during harvest time and he really makes out as he gets a couple thousand pounds of grapes for his time and labor.
Get the degree, start making some wine at home for fun and practice, get a good job as a wine maker. Let someone else run the winery and worry about paying the bills. That is if you really want to be just be a wine maker.