For some, hard times are a gateway to new careers

USA Today reports:

For millions of Americans, the recession has been a curse. For a relative few, it's something more complicated: a catalyst for change. An opportunity to grow. A kick in the butt.

In some cases, economic necessity has been the mother of re-invention. It has forced people to pursue careers they might never have considered if they hadn't gotten — or quit before getting — the ax.

So a lumber mill worker becomes a nurse, a bus driver turns to welding, a paralegal sets out to sell cosmetics, an interior decorator learns to cook barbecue.

Some unpack an old skill, like the piano. Others trade on a personal passion — for people, pets or, in one case, piñatas. Some get help from the government. Others go it alone.