Changing careers at 18 years into a job, is it realistic?

After 18 years as a welding apprentice I am thinking about moving into a different field. I do not usually post, so bear with me. 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 9 months.