I would recommend that your friend: * make a list of technologies/skills that he would like to learn; * make a list of technologies/skills needed in his job,

I would recommend that your friend: * make a list of technologies/skills that he would like to learn; * make a list of technologies/skills needed in his job, and in his upcoming project; * look for any conceivable overlap in those two lists, and spend his time doing that - justify it as "prepping for the project".