The unemployment rate in Michigan is at 14.1%, almost 5% higher than the rest of the nation. While HBO takes this opportunity to create new, funny, relevant programming — Hung (Sundays, 10pm) is about a Michigan resident who turns to prostitution to pad his measly income — CNN’s Debra Alban has seized the moment to write about individuals who are making the best of their circumstances. Specifically, she has written about folks who used their unemployment as an excuse to pursue their dream careers.

Michigan resident Alicia Azzopard found that she could get aid to assist her in a career change after she was laid off before Christmas:

“I was so upset when I left my job,” said Azzopardi. “I was crying, and I just didn’t know what to do.”

The same week that she got laid off, Michigan State University accepted her into its accelerated nursing program. Even better, she learned she qualified for a grant from the Michigan Nursing Corps. The state-funded initiative, which provides her with a $25,000 stipend, is addressing Michigan’s nursing shortage in part by rewarding workers who have been laid off.

“My tuition is pretty much 100 percent paid for, and I don’t take that lightly,” said Azzopardi, 28, who has a background in business and sales.

42-year old Trent Vondrasek was making a very decent living as a consultant for General Motors. When that work fell through he was in the fortunate position of being financially capable of taking a temporary position as an unpaid intern in order to pursue his political aspirations. He knows that even after interning, he probably won’t pull in what he did as a consultant, but he’s happy with his decision:

“I fully realize that by going into public service, I’m not going to be financially as sound as I was in the automotive industry, because I got paid extremely well for what I did,” he said. “But if I can get more self-satisfaction out of it and be prouder of what I’m doing on a day-to-day basis, then for me, that’s a win.”

The recession is forcing folks all over into a new chapter of life — and as annoying as (employed) optimist advice-givers can be — words of wisdom are little less vile coming from Mary Beth Sammons, the author of Second Acts that Change Lives: Making a Difference in the World, because she’s remade herself several times.”This is an opportunity to look where your heart is and to follow your passions,” she said, adding that volunteering is a personally fulfilling and professionally useful activity during times of unemployment.

Of course not everyone is able to go without income for months or even weeks. The CNN article offered tips for all types:

How to manage a successful career change

For those looking for a change in direction, here are several resources that might ease the transition:

Federalstudentaid.ed.gov:  Does your career change require you to go back to school? This government Web site will help you explore your financial aid options.

Safeborrowing.com: This Web site from the American Bar Association will help you decipher how student loans work.

CareerOneStop.com:  Sponsored by the Department of Labor, this Web site will direct you to local One-Stop Career Centers. The centers offer job postings, training and information on the government funds available for you.

Not all jobs require complete re-education … Talk to people already in the industry, hook up with a professional association and find out how others navigated their way through.

Still, ongoing education can give you an edge by showing potential employers that you have a “zeal for knowledge” and the most current information out there, said Eric Winegardner, vice president of client adoption at Monster.com.

Transitions don’t have to start from scratch. If you’re still employed, you can also switch careers within your company, Winegardner said. “They already know your work product, they trust you, you’ve got strong relationships there. Start talking to them about your career path and your development,” he said.

A change in direction can take a toll on relationships. If you have a partner or spouse, discuss logistics and time management with him or her before diving in head-first …