I don't even have the benefit of a high school education and came from a very poor background (think a step above Appalachia) and yet after a decade of working

I don't even have the benefit of a high school education and came from a very poor background (think a step above Appalachia) and yet after a decade of working I have never been beholden to a single employer. Perhaps the problem is we still teach kids like it's the 40's but you should be constantly building skills in your own time and keeping a toe in the job market. I got laid off on Friday during the finical crisis and walked into a new job that next Monday.