About to lose a job? Go back to school - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

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Kupczak-Rios, 55, was laid off for the thirc time from her job as a flight attendantt forin September. In January, she started classes in the horticulturee program at the Mequon campusof . Kupczak-Rioes worked for Midwest Airlines for seven When the latestlayoff “everything looked so dismal. I just felt like it was time to take care of myself and come up with a new she said. Because she’s considered a displaced her education is paid for by the federal dislocateddworker program. Prior to working at Midwesgt Airlines, Kupczak-Rios worked as an artist and had her own businesssdesigning hats.
She already has a degree in fashionb design, but she’s also an avid gardener and has an interesy inthe environment. She was interested in landscape architecture, but the time and cost to pursuwea four-year degree was unrealistic for her. Then she foundr the horticulture programat MATC. She’s pursuinbg a two-year associate degree in the program’sd landscape design track and plans to work in residential landscape design when she completesher education. When the economt rebounds, “it’s going to pick up on the greenedr side.
I think that alone is wortg spending thetime for,” she She also believes her new career will allow her to earn more than she did as a flighrt attendant. Going back to school probably isn’tg for everyone, Kupczak-Rios But she’s always believed education is empowering. Kathh VanDemark, a counselor at ’s West Bend has seen an increase in the number of peoplw who have been laid off and want to returjto school.
“It’s a good thinv to gather, gain some new skills while the economy’z bad, so that you’rr being productive during this time,” she The college offers career workshops, assessments and exploratiob to help people figure out what field to Many people just want to know where thejobs are, but VanDemarok said it’s more important to find out what interests a studen and what he or she wants to do. “Why work hard at something you don’t like?” VanDemark said. Pam Godsey sought the help of the work forcw center at to decide what classesd sheshould take.
Godsey, 47, of Waukesha, has been laid off from two different interior landscaping jobs in the lastfew years, with the most recenyt layoff occurring in September. She had worked in salez for one company and was a manager for That was one reason she wentto WCTC’sz work force center. Assessments confirmed accounting, whichu she was already interestedx in, would be a good fit for her. “ I expand my base of marketable skillseithe way, but accounting is really where my interest she said. John Berg of Brookfield foundd an academic area that interested him and had promisinf opportunities when he decided to pursue a financial planning degreeat WCTC.
54, who lost his job as a powerhousr firemanat /Tower Automotiver in August 2006, is in his last semesteer at WCTC. He wanted to gain better knowledger for hisown investing, but also was encouragede by the job He already is working part-time as an investment adviser and will switch to full-time after graduation. “It’es been very challenging,” Berg said of returning to “The amount of homework requirer was beyond my and it’s really a learning