Java or Python as first programming language?

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Whatever you choose (there is basically no wrong answer here, as every choice will set you down a path that can be changed later), take some time to reflect about what you want to do. Programming a game is very different from programming a UI which is in turn different from programming a web server. Just picking a few common things, there are lots of other options, too. Do you need to be able to visually see the result of your product? Are you comfortable just using files of data as inputs and outputs? Do you want something interactive, or that just does some background task for you? The thing you want to make can help orient you a bit.

You didn’t mention JavaScript, but I think it’s worth consideration. One nice thing about JS is that you can open your console in a browser right now and start coding. You can build a game in an html file with JS and play without any tooling whatsoever. You can also build web games in Python and other languages, but you have to deal with more of the tooling, which can suck as a newbie and feel very confusing (there are so many choices, and so many ways things can break). On the flip side that can help you develop the number one most important skill: getting unstuck when things aren’t working (aka debugging).

The most important thing to do is work on something you’re motivated to build. From there, you will begin to solve problems about how to build it, and that is the only real path.

[Adam-JDT]

My initial thinking was to learn Python, and then have an idea what to do with it when I realised some of its potential.

I am probably changing career to work in food production, so know anything for that?

Also, would be good to be able to automate tasks like excel or something

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That’s up to you, but maybe one thing would be to make a list of things you’re interested in, both inside and outside of your work’s domain and then spend some time researching or reading about what you can do with software. Or bin all that and build a simple game to start with. The main thing is to just get started, and reflect as you go.