Rising unemployment levels are leading to almost unprecedented numbers of workers heading back to school to earn their high-school equivalency certification.

A recent Associated Press article tells the story of Donna Sharp, who recently lost a job putting stripes on recreational vehicles at a plant in Elkhart, Indiana. The city has been hit especially hard by the recession and received a visit from President Obama last month as he was promoting his economic stimulus bill.

Sharp reportedly waited for six weeks to get into her GED program, a situation being faced by many other cities across America as well. From there, she plans to take more classes to become a certified nursing assistant.

The AP cited statistics showing that the number of GED enrollees in California increased to nearly 60,000 last year, up from 46,184 in 2005. A program in New York City was also cited which has 178 people waiting to get into a class for 22 students.

For people who are unable or unwilling to finish high school, earning a GED can set the stage for far better career prospects. For example, the U.S. Department of Education website notes that in 2005, the average person who did not complete high school earned $20,100 per year, in contrast to $29,700 for those who did have a high school credential.