Planning /Programming Training?

Hi all,

First post on here and I am a QS so go easy on me! (Admin feel free to move this message if I have posted it in the wrong area).

I'm a freelance QS and rather disillusioned with my career. I spent the first couple of years of my career working for a main contractor before spending the next 10 working in disputes and claims. The travel got a little bit too much for me and now I'm back working as a QS. I've had some flirtations with analysing EOT claims on Microsoft Project in the past (albeit relatively simple activities). I've also recently had some involvement in EVA in terms of cross-checking actual site progress against the budget/spend profile. Again, as a flirtation and I don't profess to be an expert at all but I did find my brief forways into planning/programming type tasks to be very interesting.

And this got me thinking....

Could planning be a viable sideways career movement?

Can the barriers to entry (cost of planning software, lack of 'at the coal face' experience as a mere QS) be overcome?

Are there any courses which anybody could recommend at least as an introduction to planning / software to see if its something that really is up my street. I've seen quite a few advertised but really unsure which is appropriate.

It would be interesting to hear people's experiences / advice. Thanks in advance.