Laurels & lances: Careers & cash

Laurel: To forging new paths. High school students spend a lot of time thinking about the future. For some, that’s about preparing for college, applying to schools and choosing a major.

The number of students learning new skills to enter the job market when they graduate, however, is growing.

According to the National Student Clearinghouse, enrollment in vocational education is up nearly 14%, with double-digit growth for the second consecutive year.

It’s a pattern being seen in Westmoreland County. The A.W. Beattie Career Center in Allison Park will have all 18 programs filled in the fall, with enrollment climbing from 1,029 to 1,055 students. At the Northern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center, enrollment for fall is up 21% from 2024.

From HVAC to railroads to welding and more, employers are courting specialized employees, and schools are stepping up to promote trades as an attractive option.

It’s a good move that helps businesses fill necessary slots in vital industries. It also helps young workers get a jump on their careers without drowning in student loan debt.

Lance: To lost opportunities. Who carries cash anymore? That’s a question a lot of organizations that depend on fundraising events are asking.

For some projects, like selling hoagies or hosting a carnival, there are ways around the lack of foldable bills. Use a credit or debit card in a convenient handheld scanner. Set up a website that accepts cards or app transfers.

The most lucrative moneymaking can be with a raffle. That might be as simple as offering a handmade quilt for a $1 chance or as complicated as a gun giveaway for a sportsmen’s club.

But with raffles like Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department’s “tip board” events, these modern forms of money transfer are off the table. State Sen. Devlin Robinson, R-Bridgeville, has introduced a bill to allow nonprofit organizations to accept online payment from apps such as Venmo or CashApp or credit and debit cards.

There are risks. The state has long been loathe to allow credit cards for gambling, even for the state lottery, due to the danger of addictive behavior. However, it has bent on debit cards. Why shouldn’t nonprofits have the same opportunity?

The truth is cash is becoming more scarce for daily transactions, and that can make it hard for nonprofit organizations, especially critical community contributors like fire departments, to raise the money they need to survive.

Robinson’s bill should move forward.