It is now paid for, is worth triple my purchase price, and provides about $60K a year in rents.  

I than let them know my top choices for PM/TP provider in that specific market, not just my own but whoever I see as current best, and what there rates are.     

Just note that if you want to put the property into an LLC and have a mortgage on it, you will need to talk with your provider to see if this is possible without refinancing.

Regarding a HELOC, most banks will only provide a HELOC up to 75-80% of the property value, so you may not be able to access a HELOC for a while.

In the meantime, I would like to gain experience through employment with an existing real estate or property management company.Is there anyone out there that can provide me with some good advice/guidance as to the best and most practical route to achieve that goal?

After wanting them to sign something they never provided it! 

These areas tend to attract high-quality tenants and provide consistent passive income, which is a great foundation for building your portfolio.If you’d like, I’d be happy to share some insights about these types of markets and why they’re appealing to investors.

I think this will all start making more sense once you start analyzing deals and working with an agent that can provide some insight. 

Rehab costs, taxes, and interest during this phase increase the depreciable basis, providing long-term tax benefits.

You can't decide which one to choose based on the minimal information you provided.