Unemployment Offers Opportunities for New Jobs Training

Time off Work Is Time for Skills Enhancement

Being unemployed is not a pleasant experience, but it does offer some opportunities for job-skills training that can lead to the pleasant experience of finding a new job and maybe a new and much better career. If enough money is coming in from unemployment benefits and training can be done during the evening or part of the day, then it can help greatly to seek out jobs training.

There essentially are two types of jobs training people undergo when unemployed. One is designed to land a survival job while looking for more career-oriented work. The other is intended to enable a career change. Specialized trainings can be accomplished in a matter of days or weeks and give you an additional stream of income. Career change trainings likely will require months of specialized training and possibly college courses.

Specialized Training Can Be Affordable and Lucrative

In many locations, particularly in larger cities, there are many opportunities to obtain specialized training that does not cost more than a couple hundred dollars and land jobs that pay well. Many communities require vehicles to pass emissions testing. And getting licensed to do those tests sometimes requires no more than a week or two of training with some cost involved. Once done, the graduate can obtain a license to perform smog checks on vehicles for steady pay and some potential for tipping income. Many larger cities need emissions testers.

Likewise, driving a cab can be a very profitable job for many people while looking for another job or even as a permanent career. In such cities as New York, Chicago, and Las Vegas, cab drivers who get good shifts can earn a great deal of money. And people with a mind more toward working on computers might find it fun and profitable to take a course in graphic design or a similar skill at a local community college and search for work in a well-paying field.

We hand-picked a few trainings that you may use as a supplemental income or even turn in a full time job:

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There are no assurances that obtaining additional training, skills, or degrees will help someone improve his or her career prospects. But most people realize that the larger the set of skills they have to offer employers, the greater the odds of them landing good jobs for good employers that will last well into the future. And there are many great opportunities for nearly anyone to improve job prospects with free and low-cost training programs.

Unemployment Centers and Job Fairs Offer Leads

Most people who are unemployed already are aware of the free jobs programs available from state and local jobs centers. But many don’t realize some jobs centers also offer specialized training, such as free CDL training for drivers, forklift certification for warehouse workers, hazmat handling, and many other types of certifications that enhance resumes and job skills. The more free training someone undergoes, the more likely he or she is to land a better job and sooner.

Many local jobs fairs also provide opportunities for finding training programs that lead to employment. Representatives of various organizations oftentimes will have information on any special training and costs that might be involved in starting a new career. An insurance agency, for example, will require people to obtain their property and casualty or life and health insurance licenses, which can cost money. But some jobs also help pay those costs or provide free training for successful candidates. Still others might offer reimbursements of licensing costs.

Many Trade Unions and Trucking Firms Offer Free Training

A lot of unions involved in trades in various communities provide jobs training for those who are interested in learning a particular trade in which the union has collective bargaining agreements in place. In many popular tradeshow and convention cities, the Teamsters has union locals offering occasional “boot camps” that provide free training for setting up and tearing down tradeshow booths and exhibits. Other unions involved in different trades offer similar training programs, knowing those who complete them are more likely to land jobs and be loyal to the union.

Those who enjoy traveling long distances and don’t mind being away from home for weeks at a time can find it easy to enroll in truck-driving schools that will not charge any money up front but will expect graduates to work for specific trucking companies, likely for lower rates than those offered by many other companies. After driving for a year or two and completing the initial work agreement, a truck driver can find other jobs that are more local and more lucrative or can possibly purchase a rig and go independent.

Continuing Education Grants for Qualifying Individuals

The federal government and potentially some states and local units offer grants for obtaining specialized jobs training or re-entering college to obtain additional job skills and possibly a second degree. Once a bachelor’s or master’s degree is completed, obtaining a second one is easier due to fewer credit requirements, making it more affordable for the federal government as well as states and local units to offer education grants for qualifying individuals.

Taking courses at a community college or adult education program also can help improve job prospects for relatively little or no money. Learning a second language is increasingly important and lucrative in the jobs market. Those who speak and write Spanish and English equally well oftentimes will find themselves near the top of many hiring lists. And that second language does not have to be Spanish. Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, and many other languages are increasingly important with the growing global jobs market. So taking a free course or two in Spanish or another language can be very beneficial.