Last year on this page we asked why Pennsylvania wasn’t investing more in its 14 community colleges, which confer hundreds of thousands of degrees and post-secondary certificates each year and serve disproportionate numbers of students with disabilities, single parents, and first-generation college-goers.

Since the state’s budget process kicked off earlier this month, there’s been little to no indication that state officials are interested in buttressing these institutions or their missions.

So it’s exceedingly lucky that Butler County has people like former state Sen. Tim Shaffer of Prospect and Janice Phillips Larrick of Butler Township.

Both Shaffer and Larrick donated gifts of $1 million to Butler County Community College in recent months. The money will be used to help fund construction of a new facility for the school’s nursing and health programs.

Shaffer, who made his donation in honor of his parents and brother, hit the nail on the head while speaking about the genius of community college.

“The school is where moderate income people can get their college education without going broke. That’s the genius,” Shaffer said. “The nursing program is where people can get a good, solid career and go anywhere.”

Shaffer is right on both counts — though we maintain that community college is an excellent option for anyone considering post-secondary education, regardless of their income. But his comments on the promise of BC3’s nursing program are especially salient.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical services jobs made up four of the six fastest-growing occupations nationwide in 2016.

The need for healthcare professionals like nurse practitioners, physician assistants, personal care aides and home health aides are expected to grow anywhere from 36 to 47 percent between now and 2026, according to the bureau. In 2016 the country employed more than 155,000 nurse practitioners and more than 2 million personal care aides, according to federal data.

That represents a tremendous opportunity for people seeking good-paying jobs and careers that give them the flexibility to move almost anywhere and the confidence of knowing that their skills aren’t going to be rendered outdated or unnecessary a few years from now.

That’s largely because America continues to get older overall. The National Academy of Medicine, in a report on the future of nursing, notes that by 2030 one-fifth of Americans will be ages 65 and older. The group also warns that 20th century educational programs for nurses aren’t up to the task of meeting the increasing demand for nursing expertise.

That makes advances like BC3’s forthcoming Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building, and the Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health, vital additions not just for students, but for older Americans in general.

We’re lucky to have an institution of BC3’s quality, and people like Shaffer and Larrick, here in Butler County.