The Unemployed Life

Gigonomics: Your Government-Funded New Career

As part of my campaign to reinvent myself and broaden my horizons in order to be more marketable, I have been taking on new challenges. This has become an unavoidable reality for those laid off from businesses where fundamental industry shifts have coincided with the downturn. In my industry, print publishing, the wheels came off so fast that many of my colleagues were stumbling about the countryside, bruised and dazed, before they realized they had been in a train wreck.

I am taking classes in Dreamweaver and search optimization and online marketing so I can adjust my talents to a more viable medium. And fast. For me, learning Dreamweaver—the Web design software—is like learning to balance a porcupine on the end of my nose. It isn’t what I’d call one of my natural skill sets, and sometimes there’s pain involved, but I’m getting the hang of it. If you’ll indulge a moment of immodesty, every once in awhile my porcupine sits up there nice and straight and I have created a thing of beauty.

While evolution and continuing education is a healthy part of any career, reinvention has become absolutely critical for many of today’s dis-employed. Recognizing this, the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act—the so-called Stimulus Bill recently passed by Congress—has made millions of dollars available for retraining and re-educating the growing numbers of unemployed. While this funding has been part of the background Stimulus chatter for months, it is just now becoming reality.

The criteria for obtaining these funds is not about financial distress—it’s about finding people eager and willing to embrace change.

“Most people don’t know that these funds are finally available,” says Michael Wilkinson, executive director for Iowa Employment Solutions and Iowa Workforce Development—the boots-on-the-ground state government organizations that oversee Iowa’s unemployment programs. “People have heard about them, but the fact is that many states are now receiving funding and are looking to distribute the money.”

The criteria for obtaining these government funds is not about financial distress, it’s about finding people eager and willing to embrace change. According to Wilkinson, the funds are being targeted to industries that have the best growth potential. In Iowa and most other states, those industries are health care, IT, and an emerging energy sector consisting of solar and wind power installation, conservation and “green” jobs in general. As odd as it might sound given its recent implosion, finance is also considered a growth opportunity because of its profound need to retrench.

“These ARRA funds aren’t entitlement programs,” says Wilkinson. “We are evaluating individuals in face-to-face meetings, assessing need and potential, and deciding on eligibility on a case-by-case basis. It’s a very hands-on process.”

The fact that a government-run agency would seek one-on-one meetings with ordinary citizens is breathtaking in its own right, let alone that there is monetary benefit to be had. For the most part, ARRA funds can be applied to re-training in the form of education, such as an Associate of Arts degree or a certification program, that leads to new proficiencies in a growth sector that is adding jobs. Funding may range from a few hundred dollars to cover online classes, up to several thousand dollars to cover the cost of obtaining a two-year degree, plus costs of transportation and child care. Applying for funds requires contacting your local state unemployment agency and setting up an appointment. Wilkinson recommends Googling “Workforce Development Board” followed by the name of your local municipality, such as Chicago or Winston-Salem, to find your way to the correct agency.

Because I’m not seeking retraining in a new industry, the classes I’m taking are coming out of my own pocket. I’m not sure I’ll re-emerge from the Great Recession as a Web designer, but the knowledge gained has given me invaluable insight into the confluence of information and technology at a micro level I might not have had otherwise. In this economy, and for the foreseeable future, adaptation is one of the greatest assets we can bring to the job market.

John Riha spent more than 20 years in magazine publishing including stints as managing editor of Traditional Home and executive editor of Better Homes and Gardens before being laid off in January. He now produces multi-media content, video, and, yup, is thinking about cranking out that novel. You know the one.

Tags: bailout, finding a job, Gigonomics, retraining, The Unemployed Life