Overly simplistic answer to a much more complex problem. Everyone isn't capable of just up and moving. Retraining? What about the 50+ crowd? Retrain for what, at what expense, and only to be shown the door during the next orchastrated collapse. Workers have been hearing the retraining scam since the early 80's. Didn't work then, hasn't worked since, won't work now. Now if you're 25, single, and daddy can front you some cash, it's all good.
I look at this a different way. In your daily travels pay attention to the demographic of the employees you encounter. If you don't see anyone who looks like you, don't bother applying. As CO mentioned regarding the +50 age group --+50 is history.
Many have this mentality that if you go back to school after being unemployed for who knows how long that once you go back to school and retrain and enter a different line of work that everything works out, what many do not comprehend is that there are hundreds of thousands going back to enter the so called "recession proof jobs" such as teaching and nursing, by the time they get done and have that degree they realize that they weren't the only one rushing into that new field of work. Everyone believes you have to go back to and get a new degree in something else or move to new state to find work, you have to understand the cost of moving is very expensive and someone out of work 2, 3, 6 months or even a year is probably just getting by, living where they are now. Go out to another state and add the costs of finding a new place to live, go rent and pay that security deposit and one months rent, right there alone your already close to $3000+, then the moving fees, by the time your all done its thousands and thousands of dollars.
That's up to whoever is looking for a job to find out. There is always demand in some area. Even if it means low wages in a crummy job, there are jobs out there somewhere.
You are right, for many relocation and/or retraining is not a viable solution, for various reasons. For those people I have sympathy. But in reality many could get jobs if they would educate/retrain their skills and/or move to another area where jobs are available. Retraining scam? Education is money. Direct corelation. Retraining is only a "scam" if you are retraining in an obsolete/low demand industry.
Of course the older generation will have a more difficult time adapting. They have been doing certain jobs for certain compensation for a long time and will obviously find it tough to change. But that's also part of the survival of the fittest idea. Those 50+ people who are able to adapt to new conditions will find jobs and will prosper. Those who can't adapt will suffer. It's unfortunate but it's reality. I'm sure those 50+ people would love to still be working at their fresh-out-of-high school, high paying, great benefits, auto manufacturing jobs, but the times have changed and that is no longer a reality. Adapt or don't, that's the choice.
Retraining and/or moving is a burden and can be expensive, no doubt. But what is the alternative? Stay where you are, barely scraping by, waiting for some miracle to happen. Bitch about why the government isn't creating jobs for you. Be upset that you can no longer make the kind of money you used to doing the same job you used to. As I said, circumstances sometimes dictate that a person cannot do these things and are stuck in the unfortunate situation they are in. I am sympathetic towards these people. But I'd argue that many others have the ability, but aren't being proactive about it.
I'm sorry, but did you ride the short yellow bus when you were younger? It's basic math. There are X jobs and 1.5X (obvious generalization) unemployed looking for work. For a large portion, there are no jobs. Period. Nursing was and kinda still is a field where there is hiring but it has run into huge problems over the last two years. Hospital and medical centers are going broke. Many shut down. Few will hire new graduates, while nursing schools were getting busy as people are doing what it takes to get a decent job and hence went toward a field where there is demand (as you keep suggesting). And by the way, nursing is shitty work, so very few do it cause they like it. The bottom like is that your ignorant line of thinking is what is going to happen. True survival of the fittest. Which means naive fools like you getting robbed regularly for whatever little assets you have.
Clearly you are not grasping the concept of what I'm saying. There are jobs in this world. If there are x amount of jobs in your industry and 1.5x people going for these jobs, move to another industry. If there are x amount of jobs in you area and 1.5x people going for these jobs, move to another area. Some people such as yourself would rather sit around and bitch about how the government isn't providing jobs for them, or how they can't find the same cushy job they had 5 years ago making $60,000/year to do jack shit. Some people don't have the option to move or retrain. As I've said, for these people I am sympathetic. Survival of the fittest. It's unfortunate that some will get left behind, but it is reality. There is no other alternative. Adapt to your new conditions via moving or retraining, or remain in the situation you are in. If you're waiting for those lost jobs to magically reappear, you're dreaming.