First, let me first say that it was a pleasure speaking with all of you. Choosing a career in Information Security will provide you with plenty of opportunities for years to come. However, the road to becoming a Penetration Tester isn't easy; it is a field that can change every twenty-four hours and requires proficiency in all areas of IT, especially Information Security. Being successful will depend on your willingness to learn and ability to constantly motivate yourself. Below are a few links that should help you get started. If you have any questions or would like personalized advice, please feel free to e-mail me.
Tutorials & Guides
HackThisSite!
OverTheWire
Codecademy
Code School
PenTester Academy
WebGoat
FuzzySecurity
Corelan Exploit Writing
Tools
Kali Linux
ArchStrike
Wireshark
Entry-level Certifications
Mid-level Certifications
Certified Ethical Hacker
EC-Council Certified Security Analyst
High-level Certifications
Offensive Security Certified Professional
Offensive Security Wireless Professional
Certified Information Systems Security Professional
Advanced-level Certifications
Offensive Security Certified Expert
Offensive Security Exploitation Expert
Reference Material
OWASP
The Penetration Testing Execution Standard
News
Twitter
Krebs On Security
Security Weekly
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Bug Bounty Programs
HackerOne
BugCrowd
Github Security
Google VRP