Marketing CTE Programs and Rediscovering Your Brand with Guest, Dr. Amanda Holdsworth

Marketing CTE Programs Now, more than ever, parents have choices for their children’s education. During the pandemic, some families switched schools or even educational models in pursuit of what would work best for their children and for their personal situations. Many families may not return to the traditional classroom, with plans to stick with virtual or homeschooling. Others might recognize that their children need something different; something more hands-on. And that’s where career and technical education come in. With news surrounding the labor shortages in manufacturing and the statistics highlighting the talent gap in skilled trades, to a potential amendment of the National Apprenticeship Act and soaring higher ed costs, there is no environment as primed and ready for marketing than career and technical education. But, where does a CTE program or school start with marketing? How can schools get industry and government partners on board with sharing their stories? And, most importantly, how can CTE centers reach the ideal students (and parents) for their programs? Marketing Does Not Have to be Daunting The increased competition with the pandemic has given all schools the opportunity to revisit their core mission, vision and values. Embrace the chance at re-discovering what makes your programs or school so great and then work strategically to share your stories with others. How to Re-Discover Your Brand To figure out who you really are as a school community, you must start with research: Click here to continue reading. Dr. Amanda Holdsworth, APR has worked in school communications for more than 20 years and is the founder of Holdsworth Communications, a strategic branding and PR agency for schools, and the School Comms Lab, a membership community that helps schools DIY their marketing and social media activities. She is the daughter of a toolmaker, the sister of a pipefitter, and has led communications initiatives and Manufacturing Day events for career and technical education schools around the country.