Chapter 16: Retraining and Second Careers in a Declining Job Market

Historically, those in the hallowed halls of higher education were buffered from the highs and lows of the broader economical reality. Traditionally, a college degree has been viewed as a ticket to, at the minimum, to a comfortable life, and for many, depending on how hard one worked or how creatively he or she used their knowledge, a path to status, prestige, and economic security and freedom. Today, while education still means a great deal, in light of the current economic downturn, just getting a college degree or advanced degree does not automatically provide the kind of fast track to the career or economic dreams that most Americans were raised to believe.