Public officials are widening their scope from celebrating college athlete contracts to including seniors moving straight from high school to a trade career after graduation. Henrico County, Va., held its first “Career and Technical Letter of Intent Signing Day” on March 28 this year, recognizing 12 seniors who signed letters of intent for careers or apprenticeships in trades including aeronautics, paving and construction. The county used the well-established format of high school athletes who sign letters-of-intent to play for college teams, inviting families, classmates and business leaders in the place of coaches, before donning a hat or other item representing the student’s new employer.