So anyway, I and about a dozen others were called in for a meeting at the unemployment office downtown on Tuesday. We were invited to take part in an "advanced job search" program. Why? Because the unemployment office took a look at our qualifications and compared them to what they knew of the current job market in the area and determined that each of us was likely to exhaust our benefits before we could find suitable employment. We have become what they call "displaced workers" Oh. Joy.
So, they are offering me up to $3,000 toward advanced training in my field, or training in another field. That's the good news. The bad news is that I've been looking through the "WIA approved courses" list and, lo and behold, most of what I was interested in possibly pursuing (such as parlegal, CAD or graphics design) take from six months to two years to complete. My benefits run out in about 20 weeks.
Some options that take about two months to complete are Dental Assistant and Web Design. Can you make any money in web design? I'll have to ask Madfish Willie.
The trick is to be sure not to get into an area that is in decline like, say, "small offset printing press operator".
In other news, here's a couple of phrases I learned at passover seder last night:
It's always darkest right before it goes pitch black.
Stressed spelled backward is desserts.
**sigh** Excelsior, peeps.
Posted by Tuning Spork at April 13, 2006 10:37 PM | TrackBackAre there no extensions possible if you are in one of their approved programs? How about paid internship or maybe being able to work at the position while still studying? Some kind of work/study thing. I'm sure you could probably get a job as a paralegal before completing your program. If any lawyer balks, you could remind him/her that law school is itself not required to be a lawyer and that one can become a lawyer through "law office study". I know a very successful lawyer who did just that.
Posted by: RP at April 14, 2006 09:07 AMWow, very interesting RP. You don't need a law degree? Just simply pass the bar and you're in? Sweeeeeeet.
Posted by: Tuning Spork at April 14, 2006 07:05 PMWell, you do need to complete the law office study part, is my recollection. That can take years. I'll try to find some information for you.
Posted by: RP at April 17, 2006 07:42 AM