Well, I just read that the good news is supposed to be a US unemploymet rate of around 10%t. Experts admit that if they add in underemployment, the figure is probably closer to 17% to 20%. And if one out of 10 to one out of five of us is out of work or badly underemployed, you can bet that this problem is particularly acute with people over 50.

But some skilled and better paying jobs are still around. The problem with those of us who are middle aged or older is that we just don’t feel we have time to spend years in school so we are qualified. I made it my mission this week to research some skilled jobs, with employer demand, that did not require a long training or education course.

I also tried to focus in on jobs training courses that did not require a lot of prerequisites.  It may be obvious that an unemployed engineer could consider a teaching certificate. But I didn’t want to make assumptions. You may also be interested in a popular article we posted in the past – Top Over 50 Career Change Jobs.

Also, let me start off by giving credit to an article here: Fast Job Retraining for Everybody. I have some different ideas in my article, so I urge you to read that one too!

Certified Nurses Assistant (CNA) – We have all heard that medical jobs are still not being filled, and that there is a big demand for RNs. But it takes years to become a registered nurse. However, certification for nursing assistants can be earned with a six to twelve week course of study. Some medical providers may even be willing to hire inexperienced CNA’s and train them while they are working.

 This is a frontline job which usually deals with patient or home health care. But it can also be a stepping stone to an RN degree. Once hired by a company, like a hospital or doctor’s office, it may be possible to get the provider to help pay for more education.

Salaries vary, by location and experience. It is reasonable to expect to make around $25,000 a year at the gate.

Small Business Bookkeeping – I have known people who taught themselves how to use popular bookkeeping software from online courses or books. If you are’t the type to do this on your own, you can find short courses, that will get you ready to handle the needs of a small business which you can complete within weeeks. Look online or at your local community college.

Salaries vary. But if you hang a shingle and bring in clients, you can earn $40 an hour or more. You may not start at a high salary if you work as an employee at a small company, but you can always bring in a few clients on the side to increase your income. It helps to understand popular software like Quickbooks and Peachtree.

Tax Preparer: Study for 10 – 12 weeks to become a certified tax preparer. Of course, your heaviest workload may be seasonal, but companies hire people to keep up with taxes all year.

Salaries can vary wildly. A first year employee may only make about $10 an hour at a tax preparation company. But you may able to build your own client base to increase your take home pay.

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technician – You can find 4 week courses that will prepare you for this hot field.  During trainig courses, students will take the  EPA Section 608 Universal Certification.  It is this certification that is required by most employers and allows an individual to work with the Freon associated with air conditioning and refrigeration.

 Please feel free to register (free) and add your own ideas to the comments. Again, I tried to find opportunities that did require prior education. People with degrees will find more opportunities for quick certifications and job training.