Math skills and the economic downturn

One profession that should be recession proof is being a math teacher. The importance of skills in math has never been more apparent. Today in the US the auto industry is in turmoil. If the worst is to happen and lets hope it doesn't, hundreds of thousands of workers will have to up skill to find employment elsewhere.

I wonder how many math teachers have thought of opportunities to help up skill workers. The demand for good math instruction should dramatically increase.

In the past most western students were complacent and in most cases did not put the effort required into math class at high school level.

The economic difficulties we all face may in someway make students take more interest in class.

Will the recession knock some sense into today's math students?