There don't seem to be many ffl smiths on the gunsmith forum.

I'm a gunsmith, although I don't currently hold a FFL.

I do some smith work for friends on their guns, but I have never taken any classes to actually become a true gunsmith.

The classes you speak of don't certify you as a gunsmith or help get you a job actually.. I'm an ffl gunsmith. I trained under a gunsmith and then built off of that. He wasn't formally trained either. The pay can be so rotten that taking courses to get some kind of worthless certification would never be cost effective unless you got into a large firearms company that paid for certs and the competition is heavy in these jobs .

01 FFL and very successful home base 'Smithing business for 13 years here.
Strictly a Smithing business, no sales or transfers conducted at all.
Not formally "trained' in a school, have worked on firearms for over 40 years, formal back ground as a machinist.
IMHO the schooling aspect is not overly critical. From what I have seen of the average Smithing school graduate has a basic fundamental knowledge of general gunsmithing operations. It qualifies one for an entry level job in the industry. Heck, I have dealt with grads of one of the highly rated schools and they did not learn a damn thing about the Kalishnakov nor AR family of firearms. Boy but they could sure do a polished blue.
IMHO that is not overly practical in todays market.
You can get a copy of Roy Dunlaps "Gunsmithing" and have the course curriculum for most schools for $30.00.
I think what is more critical is ones aptitude and knack for the little machines we deal with.

I haz a Dremel

I am a gun plumber.

Just put a fiber front sight on my Ruger Blackhawk last night. 

Gunsmith? Hell no......I'm an Armorer. Glock said so.