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Economic Downturn Drives Job-Seekers Back To School

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CHRISTOPHER O'DONNELL

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Published: October 13, 2008

Updated: 10/13/2008 12:46 pm

Wendy Richmond earned a six-figure salary selling expensive homes in Manatee and Sarasota counties during the real estate boom. She bought pearls for her mother and paid cash for her husband's laser eye surgery.

But after going for a year without a sale, she traded in her business suits for the blue scrubs of a nursing student at Manatee Technical Institute.

"I never imagined I would be a nurse," Richmond said. "But there's such great opportunity in this field here in Florida. You'll always have a job."

In Southwest Florida's soft economy, there is a boom in retraining. Enrollment has jumped at technical schools and community colleges - up 20 percent this year at Manatee Technical Institute, 18 percent at Sarasota County Technical Institute and 12 percent at Keiser University's Sarasota campus.

Like Richmond, many are nontraditional students switching to careers in fields such as health care, information technology and auto technology that promise more job security.

Digital design classes and some health care programs are attracting more students. At SCTI, about four in 10 students are older than 25.

"Some of them are coming in to do their second or third degree; they're looking for jobs where there is a proven demand in the workplace," said Kathy Walker, spokeswoman for Manatee Community College, where enrollment is up by almost 1,000 students over last year.

Driving the move are major shifts in the local job market. The number of construction jobs in Sarasota and Manatee has dropped by one-third - some 10,000 jobs in the last two years, according to state figures. Related fields such as construction supply and real estate have also been hit. Over the same period, the number of people working in education and health services has risen by 2,000, the state says.

Retraining can be a hard adjustment for adults who find themselves back in a world of studying, student loans and grants.

Some rely on spouses to support them. After so many years of being financially independent, it can be a tough switch.

Bradenton resident Candice Miller decided to retrain as a surgical technician after the two businesses she ran with her husband foundered as Florida's economy took a dive.

"You feel at age 37 you should be at a certain point in your life where you don't struggle," Miller said.

The move to nursing has also been tough for Richmond, the former real estate broker.

She received a federal grant for tuition but also had to take out a student loan. She and her husband, a truck driver, have rented out a room in their house to bring in more money.

"We just pay our bills, just barely," she said. "We squeak by; we pack our own lunches."

But the career switch has given her new opportunities and experiences, like sitting in on a six-hour open-heart surgery at Manatee Memorial Hospital.

And her new skills have already attracted a job offer from Blake Medical Center, even though she will not graduate until January.

The 15-month course will certify Richmond as a licensed practical nurse. She plans to eventually qualify as a registered nurse, which requires a nursing degree.

The extra study will likely be worthwhile. The average pay for a RN in Sarasota and Manatee last year was almost $27 an hour. The number of registered nursing jobs in the area is projected to grow by more than 30 percent in the next seven years, according to the Agency for Workforce Innovation, a state group that produces labor market statistics.

The agency is also projecting growth in other health care professions and in fields such as information technology and home appliance repair.

The number of mechanic and automotive technician jobs in Sarasota and Manatee counties is estimated to grow annually by 3 percent, some 113 new jobs each year.

"There are still industries that are adding jobs," said Sally Hill, a spokeswoman for the Suncoast Workforce Board.

People who have been laid off can get financial help for tuition, books and specialized clothing, like overalls, through the Workforce Investment Act.

Low-income students may also be able to receive grants through the federal Pell Grant Program.

"The silver lining is people are coming to get training in areas that really interest them," said Maura Howl, a spokesperson for MTI.

"They're going to be following their passion."

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