Pivoting from mechanic to something new (Albuquerque)

My layoff made me rethink whether to stay in my field. I have read a lot of threads here and could not find my exact situation. I have a little time and a small budget for training. Did you take a pay cut?

I took a small pay cut for a year, and it was worth it for the growth afterwards.

I began with informational chats, then a short online course, then a related entry-level role. It took about 11 months.