Career path - where next?

[Alan Harris-Reid]

Hi there, I wonder if any Python folk out there can help me.

For many years I was a contractor developing desktop and web 
applications using Visual Foxpro as my main language, with Foxpro, 
SQL-server and Oracle as back-end databases.  Unfortunately Foxpro was 
killed-off by Microsoft, hence my work dried-up and my last 'big' 
contract ended about a year ago.  Since then I have taken time off 
programming doing house-renovation, and in the last 6 months I have been 
updating my programming skills by learning Python (3) with SQLite, 
JavaScript, HTML and CSS to a level where I can create and deploy 
data-based web-sites.

My situation now is that I am reasonably comfortable with the above 
languages and am now in a position where I wish to return to employment 
using my new and/or existing skills (contract/permanent, full/part-time 
or teleworking).   However, I have yet to find any UK vacancy which will 
accept a relative 'beginner' - they all require at least 2-3 years 
Python in a commercial environment.  It's a catch-22 situation - it's 
hard to get a job without experience, but you need a job to get 
experience in the 1st place!

I would even consider doing small projects for nothing so that I can 
'get my foot in the door' (although I hope to be wise-enough to know 
when I am being taken advantage of!).  I am also mailing CVs to agencies 
I think may be interested.

If anyone out has ideas as to how to proceed towards achieving my goal, 
I would be grateful for any advice.

Regards,
Alan Harris-Reid