Art Johnson
Madison Heights, Mich.
In 1995, I decided to pursue a career in electronics engineering which at that time was full of opportunities in everything ranging from computers to small electronics.
After successfully completing my first degree in electronics though, the trends began to change. Computers were evolving rapidly and the Internet was becoming more common in every household. Still toting tuition costs with interest, I set my sights on computers and repair which meant more education and more certifications.
I thought I was in the safe zone, but finding a 40-hour per week position was still difficult because as time passed, my very specific training kept me coming up short for the listed positions. Instead I took contract and temporary work.
Today, I'm a single dad with two kids, I've been unemployed for two years and I'm $40,000 in debt, simply because I can't keep up with the constantly evolving new ideas, trends and technologies in my field.
I can't afford to keep getting more and more certifications, and gradually, my skills are becoming more archaic, placing me close to, if not in last place.
Facing rapidly rising college costs, these six folks took out unsustainable student loans.
