The problem with the FPGA technology is that is constantly evolving .And if you want to look for work as a designer .You have to know the latest tools .That means to have access to the latest plataforms of development .The current ones from Xilinx are Kintet 7 and Virtex 7 .They are very expensive . So is better to learn well how to simulate correctly the designs and learn all the aspects of IMPLEMENTATION and Timming Closure.
It is well know in the field that .You can code your design in a month and spent 3 more months in the IMPLEMENTATION