Career change after a layoff, where to begin? - any advice?

I want to move from sales associate to something with more stability. I am in Madison, in case local advice matters. I have a little time and a small budget for training.

Try a small project in the new field before committing. It told me a lot about whether I would enjoy it.

You likely have more transferable skills than you think. Write down what you did, not what the job title said.