[Confusion]

Agreed, but doesn't that mean the main premise is almost correct? It indeed seems like the skill of 'programming' depends on the development of a knack for Googling for the right terms.

I think it is actually the other way around: once you develop the skill of 'programming', you will know what to search for when you have a problem and you will understand enough of the puzzle to construct the last piece from the various results to your search query. If you don't know how to search for an answer to your problem, you do not sufficiently understand your problem.