Parents, Students Reconsider Vocational Education

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In the basement workshop of Parkway West Career and Technology Center, Zack O'Connell takes a blow torch to a piece of metal.

He enjoys turning the metal from gray to orange, and watching it slowly separate until the new piece drops to the floor with a thud.

His grandmother is just glad that the work probably will land O'Connell, 16, a well-paying job without burdensome college spending.

"I know a lot of college students who have gone ... for four years and they end up working at restaurants or in retail," said Sharon Palitti of Coraopolis. "I think it's a good idea for Zack to go into a trade, especially because he's good at it."

Welding is new this …