Unemployed? A college degree can lead to a better career

With millions of jobs lost this year alone, unemployment rates are at their highest in decades. The manufacturing and construction industries have been especially hard hit. Rather than stay in shrinking industries, however, many unemployed workers are turning to higher education to transition to industries with more plentiful career opportunities.

Sherry Fitzgerald of Detroit is a part of this transition. When she lost her job at a Detroit auto plant a year ago, she began investigating other careers. "I had always thought of becoming a nurse," Fitzgerald says. "I knew the pay and the job security were good."

The more Fitzgerald found out about the nursing field, the more she was convinced it was the right field for her. "After getting a bachelor's and 2 years on the job, I could easily be making as much as $80,000 with good benefits," Fitzgerald says. "I thought, what am I waiting for?"

A friend recommended she visit Classes and Careers.com, a free online education information resource. In a few minutes, users can fill out a form and be connected live with an education advisor. "Not long after," Fitzgerald says, "an advisor called me and helped me find a nice, flexible online program. I could do lectures and homework at night from my computer after the kids went to sleep. It was really easy to use."

Now more than halfway through her program, Fitzgerald has left the troubled American auto industry for a secure, lucrative career in health care, and she's not alone. Statistics show that enrollment at universities and colleges has jumped in the last 6 months, and most of those enrolling are victims of layoffs. "They realize they can't stay where they were," says university career advisor Robert Green. "They've got to adapt, and education is the best way to do it."


If you have been laid off or are unemployed, visit ClassesandCareers.com and fill out their form. An education counselor will contact you and help you make the transition to a better career. Copyright, © ARAnet, Inc.