Its a bit like the old thing, you need experience to get a job without a qualification, but you need a qualification before you can get any experience in the field your after.

Suppose one of the ways that you can get noticed without it is is either be on a Mod that works really well and you were a major player in it, or win an award or a challenge....

Or have a kick ass portfolio but that without being able to dedicate a lot of time (as in going to uni so its your "full" time occupation so to speak) its quite hard.

Think because of the industrys evolution it is now a pretty much a must to have a qualification to get on the ladder.

Bit of a rock and a hard place.