In my opinion, the absolute best way to make the switch is to start in tech support. It’s the same concept of the only true way to learn a 2nd language is immersion by living in the country. The only true way to make the switch to tech is to be immersed in it.
Starting in tech support at a small-to-mid-size startup is such a strong and viable path, it’s a shame most people don’t realize that.
If you're doing tech support for a smaller org, you're also going to do system setup and delivery, and you're probably going to touch provisioning systems and your boss or your bosses boss is going to be managing people that run the corporate IT systems. There's a path to developer there, usually by doing some automation on the day to day work and being recognized and asked to help out with more things and eventually a job title. Or at least, working with people who do what you want to do, and asking them what it would take to get there.
Manual test -> automatrd test -> writing the things that need testing is also a valid way though.
I mean working as a “support engineer” for a start-up SaaS company whose users can be fairly technical themselves. For example, working on the support team of a B2B SaaS company who makes a tool for IT teams.
These types of roles can be filled by just about anyone, and there is so much to learn just by being around the environment. Lots of things we (people already in tech) take for granted is just how much one can learn by being around devs, sales, success, QA, devops, etc teams on a daily basis.