Career change after a layoff, where to begin? - 10 months and counting

After 18 years as a customer-service rep I am thinking about moving into a different field. I do not usually post, so bear with me. I have a little time and a small budget for training. How did you start?

I began with informational chats, then a short online course, then a related entry-level role. It took about 10 months.