After all your planning and preparing for a great career, life happens. Sagging economies, downsizing, layoffs and disabilities are just a few of the obstacles that can come between American workers and fulfilling, financially rewarding careers.

Fortunately, along with the agency's better known mission of enforcing fair wage and employment laws, the U.S. Department of Labor is dedicated to helping Americans remove, or at least chip away at those obstacles. Here are some of the great government resources out there to help you:

Training: Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
The ETA provides assistance for adults, young persons and dislocated workers with training and job placement assistance. From the ETA, job seekers can get:

• Information and Assistance
  Services for anyone interested in employment, and details on where to go to get those services.
• Career Tools and Services
  Programs and resources that can help workers make the next step in their careers, even if it is their first step.
• Services for Job Seekers
  Essential tools designed to help workers in any phase of their job search.
• Help for Laid-Off Workers
  Services for workers, employers and workforce professionals dealing with a lay off.
• Help for Foreign Workers
  Resources for foreign workers seeking jobs in the United States and employers who hire them.
• Other Job Opportunities
  Information on different types of job and volunteer opportunities for a variety of job seekers.
• Rights and Responsibilities
  Important information for job seekers, the workforce professionals assisting them, and the employers hiring them.
• State One-Stop Web Sites
  Consult your State One-Stop Center, where you can go to find out more about the job seekers services above.