Career change after a layoff, where to begin? - 7 months and counting

After 7 years as a mechanic I am thinking about moving into a different field. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. I have good customer skills and I am comfortable with spreadsheets. Has anyone made a similar move?

I began with informational chats, then a short online course, then a related entry-level role. It took about 7 months.