This all depends on what "mode" your company is in on a daily basis. If they are in what I like to call "fire hose" mode then the boss is much more resistant to their DBA(s) spending time on "other projects" when they are used to walking through your door with "emergencies" all the time. I know CEO's, CIO's, and even owners that run their shops like this on a daily basis and have no interest in changing that. Their classic response to learning new technologies is usually something to the effect of "No problem, but do that on your own time. I need you available while you are at work at a moments notice.":-D