I've got a cousin who has a son, who went to the local community college to learn welding. When I'd be up there, my relatives would all tell me how ----- was going to school to learn welding, just like me.
Oh, we tried to talk "shop", but something never seemed quite right.
Today, he has no job. It seems he has back problems, that prevent him from working, though a doctor hasn't confirmed that.
From my other cousins, it seems that ----- only went to school for welding, for some unemployment or welfare training, to keep the checks coming.
When I lost my 35 year job back in Nov. of 2006, I drew unemployment for a year while searching for a job which I never could find. (I'm in the suburbs of Detroit, my company was sold and the plant was closed down)
If I had wanted to apply for an extension, the MESC was willing to "retrain" me but since I had scored well on their aptitude test they offered to send me back to college to complete my bachelor degree. That would have required I attend classes on a full time basis.
When that offer was made, I was then 57 years old. That meant that the state was going to pay for maybe two more years of college, at which time I would have acquired my degree at the age of 59.
If an employer wasn't willing to hire me with 35 years of HR experience with a Tier-1 supplier, there is no way in heck anyone would hire me at the age of 59 or 60 knowing full well I would likely retire shortly thereafter.
I turned down the Michigan Employment Security Commission (MESC) offer and contacted the representative of my closed company and told them to start my pension.
That was MY personal experience. I have several other friends who were in the skilled trades and up in age who lost their jobs several years ago and they are going thru the useless process of job retraining.
There comes a point in time where one's age and the investment in their homes makes it impossible for them to sell and relocate (if they can find a job).