As far as applicable to my locality, In securing the permit to carry, someone prove to be worth of having it i.e. no deregatory records, having all the Police, Fiscal, NBI (FBI) as pre-requisites asked by the Firearms and Explosives Division and of course you can show that you have good financial or work status.
Your second Question.
....."but I am wondering if I should be well trained to be effective in a confrontation".
It is yourself that can determined how good you are in a real encounter.
As far as to my experienced in facing life and death in front of muzzles aimed at me, presense of mind and alertness is necessary and you are ready to confront any thing.
If you are a civilian like me, get to use of it in carrying gun with you in your daily task to feel like carrying a cell phone, how you react when you are intermingling with police, military, entering a camp with your gun carried or deposited, in a bank anywhere. Of course you must be equipped of legal knowhow related to carrying gun. So, that if someone in authority will try to question you, you know how to deal with in a polite manner. Not necessarily pulling the pistol from the holster. The rest lies on you.
Thanks