Whenever the economy goes south and jobs are lost, folks start taking a look at their own career.  "Where will I be in 5 years?", "Do I still have the skills to compete in my current industry?", and "What do I want to do with the rest of my life" are some of the questions asked.  And more often than not, going back to school is the answer for many.  The Wall Street Journal this morning had a great article about finding the right education plan for you.  There are many factors that need to be considered, and the article points out one that I really agree with:  find local demand.   It would be great if we could just get paid for whatever we enjoy doing, (I'm still looking for someone to pay me for gardening in my own yard), but realistically, you have to do what is needed.  And once that is determined, finding the right education program should be easy.