I did it and so can you! At age 33, I switched to technology (not programming) from a totally unrelated field (with three degrees in this unrelated field). Late

I did it and so can you! At age 33, I switched to technology (not programming) from a totally unrelated field (with three degrees in this unrelated field). Late last year I learnt PHP and SQL on my own and with Twitter Bootstrap, I launched a data analytics heavy web service that is being used by about 1,000 users. My suggestion, start and keep it simple. If you are interested in web development, pick up the simplest and easiest languages and learn the basics. Pickup a Sitepoint or Head First book in that language. Find problems in your unrelated career that could be solved by web service and create solution. Launch it, introduce your workplace to it, use it as your portfolio. If not, solve a personal itch, launch it and find users who have the same itch. In any case, you will have a site for your personal portfolio to go out and get some freelance work or looks for job.