If income, or credit is an issue, Learn and get good at something related to real estate and then eventually you can add value to an investor and potentially do a joint venture.

Also look down the road-do you plan on moving back or eventually sell the property? 

That income will eventually outpace what we would get from a sale.  

I decided that I wanted to take advantage of this benefit by buying a property to eventually rent out (after meeting the 1 year primary residence restrictions).

You have to actually go out there and find real deals, do the work to force equity, and only then do you get a bit of cash flow that eventually becomes significant years later.But that's not a get-rich-quick strategy so most folks won't do it.

I am new to investing, have done a few flips in the last 12 months, but want to eventually start building out my portfolio. 

Until eventually, you totally STOP hearing from each contractor.

Do you want more doors, more money, or a better path to eventual time freedom?

Find out somehow where their new address is (not sure how to find this out affordably), and file a lawsuit against them in small claims court and hope they pay or eventually get their wages garnished.2.)

Also, if eventually you get into that house hack, and elect to self managing a duplex, triplex or 4-plex that you own/live in, you will by default learn about property management skills and no license is required to manage the property you own.To answer your specific question, yes - you can become an employee of a property management company to learn about property management and I highly recommend it!