Mine's a bit weirder, I'm only in IT by pure chance..
When I was 19, I got a letter through the post asking me to go look at a "Zenos" IT academy, which gives you 5 months intensive training for the following qualifications - MCDST, network+, A+, NVQ3 for IT practitioners and a few more I can't remember. Then they help you get a job and off you go!
4 years on, and I'm still here!
I don't know if that's any help to you, but I thought I'd drop by and say "Hi!" to the other female techys around here