If you're not getting anywhere aiming up at programming and directly technical roles, have a go at coming in sideways via data entry, field aquisition, installation, cable pulling roles .. or even "non IT" industries (as everywhere has computers and software these days).

I landed two of my more interesting programming roles via jobs that started as something "other than" (for the change) and found myself migrating into industry specific problem solving internally as I had the knack (programming and higher math) and an inside track.