College and Career Options for Unemployed Workers

Going Back to School After You’ve Been Laid-Off, Part 1

Stabilize YOUR Economic Future

You don’t need to be listening closely to the news to be familiar with terms like these:

• recession
• depression
• credit spiral
• economic crisis
• financial insolvency
• market volatility
• plunge
• upheaval

As if to counteract the psychological impact of the everyday rhetoric, the federal government’s message is about STABILITY and for very wise reasons. That’s the macro view—the Big Picture. But on a more micro level your life matches any, or all, of the above. And that’s personal.

In the article on What to Do When You are Suddenly Laid Off, you can see what the priority steps are to initial stabilization of YOUR personal economic situation, but after the dust has settled and you need a solid plan and blueprint for action, let’s explore these timely questions:

• What are the options for going back to school?
• Could even a few more months in a classroom position you for a more secure future?
• And if so, is it possible to evaluate the best careers in turbulent times?

Education and Re-Training Resources for Unemployed Workers

Part of your state’s unemployment procedure will most likely include registering with the Workforce Development Center. At this stage of the game, unless you’re temporarily displaced from your job or a union worker, you will undergo a detailed interview designed to evaluate your self-sufficiency in the job market, match any skills you possess to the current labor market and possibly determine if you are a candidate for any state retraining program OR eligible to receive education assistance to go back to school.

Is College a Good Choice in an Unemployment Environment?

Free college hand-outs are limited, at best, and only the most financially hobbled workers will get tuition waivers. But on community college campuses across America unemployed workers are applying for some very good career and degree programs—that require between a few months and 2 years to complete. Other displaced professionals are finishing their Masters degrees, considering trade schools, or even striking out on their own entrepreneurial path.

But is it a good choice, a wise strategy?

If your current level of education, high school, some college, Bachelors degree, Masters degree, is not keeping you in your job it could be that you need to flesh out more critical skills in a classroom. The sad truth is that some jobs and careers are simply not viable enough to survive an economic recession.

What, then, are the “bullet-proof” careers and how can you get one? Check out Part 2…