Click these two links to learn about plans being set into motion right now to start the Earth's first outer space industry.

http://deepspaceindustries.com/
http://www.planetaryresources.com/

Well, there's already a space industry, eg SpaceX etc. At some point I had considered applying there for a job (they wanted a data analyst with a physics background), but they only hire US citizens

I completely agree, but in order to create a "self-sufficient industry working in space" you first need a cheap way of getting to space and that's were SpaceX comes into play.

After near/low-Earth orbit travelling becomes easily affordable I am sure SpaceX will venture (pun intended) even further

check out this: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Techn ... D_printing
it almost sounds like replicators already
but in some years they might be capable to build all the needed equipment right there in space and money for traveling up would not be that a big problem anymore

Yeah, I also read it at the BBC site. Really amazing!