Every once in a while, life hands you a golden opportunity that you may pass by simply because you don’t recognize it. If you are unemployed and have always wanted to go back to school for either advanced training or a new career, life may be knocking at your door with such an opportunity.

It is possible to be actively seeking employment while also taking classes, which may be a requirement if you are receiving unemployment compensation. The opportunity is even more plausible if you consider an online learning program. Whether or not you can afford the opportunity is another issue that requires careful consideration.

However, if you have the support of the people in your life, now may be the best time to borrow money or take out a student loan. Why? According to many financial analysts, the economy will soon be entering inflationary times. When this occurs, the dollar will have less purchasing power, essentially making it less valuable. If you borrow now, you will be repaying the debt with cheaper dollars.

Of course, this is based on speculation, and any decision to borrow and take on debt should be made in the context of your personal situation and financial capacity. But the heaviest weight should be given to the career advancement and employment opportunities that a degree can provide.

With that in mind, more good news comes from data projections given by the federal government indicating that jobs requiring an Associate’s Degree will be the fastest growing when compared among positions requiring all other forms of higher degrees. This means you can cut your education bill and efforts in half without sacrificing employment results. 

Occupational outlooks are very helpful in gauging which jobs will be in high demand, and therefor which fields of study you can pursue now that will net you a job once you complete the program and receive your degree. Heading over to the federal government’s Occupational Outlook Handbook can give you an accurate overall assessment of where job growth and demand is most expected. The site can be confusing, however and is a bit overwhelming to use. Moreover, it does not easily render any geographically specific information.

Fortunately, you can go to CareerOneStop’s  CareerInfoNet.org site where job trend information is streamlined and the data tools are well organized and easy to use.  

For example, under the “Find It by Topic” menu, the Labor Market Info subheading is very useful. Clicking through brings you back to a CareerOne Stop domain, but don’t worry, the InfoNet and OneStop domains are interchangeable and both are sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training.

From the Labor Market Information Center, you can conduct any number of key searches by state, including occupation projections, salary projections by occupation and state, and national comparisons.

One handy feature of the site is that it will give you current numbers on actual job openings by title in the state, which is helpful in your current job search. If you decide upon a field of study and degree, type it into a search engine along with either “in Nevada,” or “online” to start looking for an accredited educational institution.

Whatever your decision, remember to keep putting your best foot forward, and as always, good luck!