Career Development
By Jennifer Cekus

Jennifer is a Career Development Specialist for Pittsburgh Technical Institute, a postsecondary career college awarding graduates associate degrees and certificates in business, design, computer, technical, medical, safety, travel and hospitality majors. PTI has campuses in Oakdale and in Cranberry at the Regional Learning Alliance. For more information visit www.pti.edu or call 412.809.5100.

My Summer Vacation…
…Made Possible by Countless Others

My family and I are in the midst of planning our summer vacation. As we’re deciding where to go, where to stay and what to do while we’re there, we’ve been sharing stories of memorable trips over the years. So often, these memories not only involve family and friends, but also the strangers we encounter along the way.We remember…

The airline attendant who exhausted every possibility trying to find us a way home from Philadelphia when we missed our flight.

The cruise ship captain who vacated his dining table so our large group could eat together.

The young man from the rental agency who brought a broom to our beach condo when, speaking Pittsburgh-ese, we asked for a “sweeper.”

While you’re vacationing this summer, take a moment to look around at all of the people who are making your “time away” possible.The travel agent, hotel staff, airline crew, restaurant team – it’s their job to give you a great vacation. You probably never realized that while you recharge your batteries, your family vacation fuels a multi-billion dollar industry that represents a crucial part of our country’s economic stability.

According to the Travel Industry Association, Americans made more than 54 million trips to the beach, spending an average of $737 per trip excluding transportation.These trips affect dining, touring/sightseeing, shopping, entertainment and night life, along with various means of getting to the shore – airline, rental car, and shuttle service, to name just a few. And then there are all of those other vacation destinations.

The people working while you vacation are not necessarily local high school and college students earning money on their summer break.Many have spent two or more years in higher education honing their specific craft.They have been trained in customer service skills, problem solving and management.This is their career, and making your vacation a pleasant experience so that you’ll spread the word and visit again is their goal.

On the surface, it may seem like these individuals have it made.What could be better than spending every day in a resort destination, right? Now, recall the last time you sent back a meal that wasn’t prepared just right; the ticket agent you blamed when your luggage was lost; the unmade beds, crooked lampshades and crusty room service trays that are always set right by the door every time you return to your room…sounds like a day at the beach doesn’t it?

Their education prepared them for the good, the bad and the disastrous.They can make each guest feel like a VIP, no matter how many have checked in each day.They determine, often at the spur of the moment, how to best appease an unhappy customer and minimize disruption for other guests.They are prepared to calmly and efficiently evacuate the premises when fire, hostile action or natural disaster strikes; putting their customers’ safety before their own.

In a time when security is one of our top concerns, it helps to know that the crews on the planes, trains, buses and cruise ships are prepared to assess and manage risk.They have practiced simulated terrorist acts and are prepared to react as nontraditional first responders. In a situation where I, as a tourist, can see myself grabbing my husband and son and ducking into the nearest hiding place, it helps me to know that there are professionals ready to ensure our safety – before, during and after our trip.

So, as you relax on your summer vacation, remember that your efforts to “get away from it all” have created a booming business for others who work hard to provide you with a memorable experience. Appreciate their efforts, provide them with feedback and tip the deserving well.

Remembering My Lai
A Vietnam veteran visits Chartiers Valley high school to recount one of the darkest chapters in U.S. military history.

Unlikely Friendships
A trip to one of Africa’s most desperate countries teaches a CV student that people aren’t so different after all.

Officer of the Year
Scott Township’s Police Department unanimously names Alan Ballo its top cop.

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