Have you had to change jobs or careers? what's your story?

I talk to a lot of folks, mostly veterans, that are entering or returning to school because they lost their job or can't find a job. My observation is that there is a growing gap between what workers are qualified for and what employers want. I wonder if other people see the same thing or if there is something I am missing. The other thing I see is that the time required to get from where the hopeful workers skills are and what the employers are wanting is often much longer than either party can afford to wait. What I mean is if it takes a worker a year and a half to two years to develop the skills needed for a job or career today then by the time they are ready the employers no longer need those jobs. This may not impact the employer very much because most likely there already exists a pool of candidates the the employer can choose from. The workers however are taking a big gamble with their time and money by seeking training or education that may not help them by the time they get to the other side of it. I would really like to hear if anyone out there has a story about this they would like to share.