Casey Dunn doesn't miss the early mornings, the sore backs and the inconsistent wages of his old life. Until recently, Dunn, 32, had spent a decade working construction, mostly on steel structures such as garages and warehouses. It was an exhausting, unreliable career.

"By the time you get home, you're so dead tired, you can't do anything," Dunn said.

With the construction industry slumping, Dunn, who lives in Penacook, tried to make ends meet with painting and other odd jobs. But he was still just earning enough to scratch by, so he and his wife decided a new plan was in order. This spring, he signed up for a full slate of classes at NHTI in Concord, hoping to earn enough credits to become a teacher.

"School just seems like the best option now," Dunn said. "The way the job market is now, it just makes sense to have college behind you."

Dunn is among a new wave of students surging into New Hampshire's community colleges amid the economic downturn. Applications to the state's seven community college campuses are up by double-digit percentages and show no signs of slacking.

At NHTI, there's been a record increase in the number of students taking summer courses, up 22 percent over last summer. Applications for the fall semester are up nearly 40 percent in Concord, 60 percent at Manchester Community College and 40 percent at Lakes Region Community College in Laconia.

"Business is booming," said Chuck Kusselow, director of admissions at River Valley Community College in Claremont. "We are very busy."

The colleges are benefiting from two trends tied to the sluggish economy. Students who hope to earn a four-year bachelor's degree are turning to the community colleges to get the first two years of study under their belt for relatively low cost. The community colleges are also seeing more people turning to them to pick up a new trade or learn skills that will help them weather the recession.

"Some of the older students we're getting back, their career area is in jeopardy and they're looking for something new to take them right up to retirement," said Tom Foulkes, vice president for continuing education at NHTI.

A study in practicality

According to college administrators, the new students are taking a practical approach in selecting their courses. Programs in growing industries, such as health and computer sciences, are increasingly popular, as are some traditional vocational courses that students hope will guarantee recession-proof employment.

"We're seeing a lot of growth in our technical programs, in welding, HVAC," said Jan Phelps of Manchester Community College. "They are programs where the jobs can't go overseas, and you'll always need somebody to do your plumbing and take care of climate control in a building."

At River Valley Community College, the school's proximity to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center makes health courses especially popular. Programs in respiratory therapy, physical therapy assistance and phlebotomy are among the most in demand.

"The economy does drive what people look for," Kusselow said. "It's common for people to ask if there are jobs in a certain area. Some of them are in their 40s and 50s, and they're retooling their careers. They're scared, and they need to come up with something to pay their bills. And with those programs, even in bad times, people feel they can find jobs."

Building booms

Single page