ORM is very much like hypermonadic supertemplate C+++++ type theory, you can only play with it if you know what you're doing, but don't want all that boilerplate (cognitive or in-code unit tests) in your head.

So, I think starting with PHP and raw SQL is a good thing for motivated learners.

And if you need motivation, try building a WordPress site with themes and plugins first. And maybe an Android app. And then something cute like a LED blinker with a raspberry.