I was laid off after 25 years at Adobe. After a soul-sucking tech job search, I became a school bus driver.

James Strawn, a 56-year-old former senior software quality engineer at Adobe, was laid off after 25 years of employment in June 2025. Strawn had worked at Adobe since 2000, starting as a contractor before becoming a regular employee. He had worked on various teams, including Illustrator and Premiere, for over two decades. Strawn's layoff was unexpected, and he initially thought he would find another tech job.

After exhausting his severance, he started a rigorous job search, applying for positions paying at least $100,000. Unemployment benefits ran out, and Strawn shifted his focus to exploring alternative careers. He considered working at Costco, applying to fitness centers, and eventually discovered a job as a school bus driver. Strawn underwent extensive training, including obtaining a commercial driver's license and completing on-the-road and student management training.

The job is physically and mentally demanding, with higher stakes as a school bus driver, as children's lives are at risk. Strawn's career pivot from tech to school bus driving came with a significant pay cut but offered stability and a chance to reconnect with his family.