In need of advice from the experts out there!

Hi Everyone,

Here is my situation... Hoping someone(s) out there will have some good advice for me. I was recently laid off and see this as the window of opportunity that I have been wanting to change my career. Here is the delima: I can't just start back to any school or training program as I will forfeit my unemployment benefits...

HOWEVER, there are retraining programs approved by EDD to retrain people like me into areas that are in high demand (specifically medical field). I really want to get into the medical field (specifically Sonography) but the programs that are on the EDD's approves list are NOT accredited programs and it makes no sense to spend the time / money on a program when I can't even sit for the boards upon completion.

There is ONE program that is accredited and that EDD approves but it is for LVN (it is at WCC in Sacramento). My thought is that although this is not what I ultimately want to do career wise, it will get me into the medical field, give me experience and once I am working, I can continue my education towards the specialty I want.

Here are my questions:

1. What is the time involved in moving from LVN to RN?
2. Where are LVN's most likely to find employment?
3. New grads...where do they find employment?
4. Any word on how graduates of Western Career College / LVN program are received?

I have over 20 years of management / training experience that I hope will be helpful in my new career path but am unsure about LVN vs. RN. Are LVN's being hired right now or is it just RN's?

Right now, it is my ONLY avenue to re-training while maintaining my EDD benefits. I am in my early 40's and would like to make the best possible decision as this program will be quite an investment.

Any advice at all would be most appreciated.