Only a year following NASA's end to its 30-year-long space shuttle program, those who were former employees are now having a hard time finding work.
In the past, employees at the Kennedy Space Center had well paying positions and growing careers when shuttles were being sent off from the Florida "Space Coast," but now even engineers who once worked with the program are struggling.
Some of these people have decided to attempt to find jobs in South Carolina in constructing airplanes while others have went overseas to work in government contracting.
Many have settled for less pay, while a large amount are still in search for work.
"Nobody wants to hire the old guy," said Terry White, a 62-year-old former project manager who worked with the program for 33 years. "There just isn't alot of work around here. Or if so, the wages are really small."
While working with the program, White was earning an annual salary of $100,000.He doubts that the chances of finding another career that pays that well will come along.
"I could take an $11-an-hour job that is 40 miles away," he said. "But with gas prices and all that, it's not really worthwhile."
Former space workers have enrolled in Brevard Workforce's job placement and training services. The program has been able to place a little over 50 percent of the enrolled 5,700 workers into jobs, however over 25 percent of those jobs have been out of Florida, forcing people to relocate.
Brevard County's unemployment rate increased when the shuttle program ended and since then has fell to nine percent. The decline comes from a smaller workforce since many of the past shuttle workers have retired or moved by force.
