Having a gap because of going to school is ok. Most employers understand that. Just put your school info at the top if ur resume before your employment info. Hope that helps.

I ran into a similar issue when I decided to go back to work after being a stay at home mom for many years. Explain your situation and ask employers if you can use personal references instead of corporate references. Reach out to former co-workers or teachers and let them know you'll be using them for reference checks on applications so they know and can prepare for the call.