1) Get yourself some reference books. Among them would be:
"Electronic Components - Selection & Application Guidelines", by Victor Meelduk, Wiley. There are several other, such as by Harper and by Mazda, but this one is the text I refer to most often, Its main weakness it that it devotes too many pages to military specs for components, rather than EIA standards. "The Art of Electronics", 2nd Ed., Horowitz & Hill, Cambridge, is also packed with good Component Information.
2) Take the EIT/FE exam. Not only does this put you on track for PE Registration, which you should get in two years, but the exam itself is a good review of physical principles that you will use as a Component Engineer.
3) Get subscriptions to several magazines: Electronic Products, EDN, Electronic Design.
Learn to use some internet search tools popular among Component Engineers - among them being IC Master, Faradnet.