[4DThinker]

Learning curve depends on experience you have before getting A CNC. I personally felt no confusion or frustration using the first CNC I bought as I already had CAD software experience, years of using routers both handheld and mounted in tables, and an engineering/architecture aptitude/education. I've know some woodworkers who were so completely flustered trying to figure out how to use a CNC they bought that they sold it off quickly. Simple profile and pocketing you'll need for making jigs/templates is basic stuff, and shouldn't be hard to manage. You'll need CAD software to draw the vectors, CAM to turn those vectors into toolpaths, and controller software to feed the toolpaths to the CNC. Vectric.com's Cut2D should have enough cad/cam features for what you described. There are many other options out there.

 

[4DThinker]

I'm also in favor of taking the plunge. You can't imagine what experiences you'll have when you get a CNC to use. I was a competent woodworker and teacher of furniture design who one day on a whim ordered an early CNC Shark from rockler,com. This was before we had CNCs at work. 25 years later I retired with the distinction of having been the CNC wizard in the fab lab where classes were taught. That creative environment led to me finding creative solutions to fabrication challenges with creative clamping of parts within the cutting area of small CNCs.
4D