Don't worry too much about emerging technologies or trends. Some seem to be higher paid, but I would recommend finding one or two paths you like and sticking with them. Most of them are as in demand as they have ever been and are largely immune to automation.
To prepare for any career in programming: write lots to code, do it now! It will likely be crap code, don't worry, everyone started writing crap code, eventually you get better at it. Read a lot of code, you will not understand most of it, try anyway.
The more you do the above, the more you will know what is going on, the more people you will find with similar interests and eventually you may find a mentor, too.
As for "cubicle slave", you may have to start from there, it doesn't mean you have to stay there.