I think I understand where you're coming from with this commment. I too, went through a series of jobs being thrown into the deep end, and while the amount of help I recieved from my co-workers varied, I can't think of a single time they actually left me hanging totally by myself. Instead they encouraged me to learn on my own as much as possible, and minimize asking questions that I should be able to find the answer for myself.

Eventually, we all find ourselves in a situation where there is no one to turn to, and you either sink or swim on your own skillset.