Which area of IT? Advice needed.

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Dear All,

Seeking a career change into I.T. Or at least seeking to dip my toes into it to figure out if it's something I could do and would like to do. My background is totally unrelated to I.T. Have been teaching English abroad for last few years and looking to get into something more stable with better prospects and that will allow me to work in the UK (coming back to the UK after teaching English one finds most doors closed and bolted shut).

I've been reading the excellent threads on here and can see that the general consensus is to start with the entry-level jobs and A+ & Network + certification.

My question is how does one with no background/experience in I.T go about wading his way through the abundance of different paths/sectors of I.T to discover an area which he would enjoy pursuing? I mean, does it come to you as you study for the A+/Network +, or are these certifications specific to one area of IT and not helpful for finding your interest?

Being in my late 20's and having originally studied to be a lawyer I know what it's like to be endlessly trying to get into a field that is over saturated with 500 applicants for every 1 opening (exaggeration perhaps), where for the most part unless you're a high flying student with the right grades you're not going very far.

That said, I don't want to sell myself short but I've become more realistic about my prospects in this day and age. For me, I want to retrain in something that I will enjoy (not always possible, granted) but will also offer ample career opportunities. A field that is perhaps in short supply and with the right attitude, hard work and determination you will find work in it. I can't afford to go after another saturated career choice and end up twiddling my thumbs.

Any wisdom would be much appreciated.