Guides & Best Practices
A simple, easy-to-follow resource on how to put the research into action.
Engage Families & Learners
Engaging Families and Learners
Advance CTE, with support from the Siemens Foundation, supports states and communities across the country in their efforts to attract and recruit learners into high-quality Career Technical Education programs of study.
Advance CTE has become a national leader in Career Technical Education (CTE) messaging research and support for state and local leaders to communicate effectively with learners and their families.
While enrollment in CTE programs has remained resilient in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, enrollment is still too stagnant given CTE’s importance to our nation’s economy and workforce. This is in part because of outdated perceptions and lack of awareness and understanding of the value and impact of CTE programs. Developing effective, equitable recruitment practices that fully empower and inform learners about the value and benefits of CTE is critical to increasing recruitment into CTE programs.
Since 2017, Advance CTE has conducted two rounds of national research to find out the messages and themes that most resonate with learners and their families, and piloted the communications research with 15 states through four state cohorts.
Effectively Communicating Career Technical Education to Engage Every Learner: A Recruitment and Engagement Tool
This tool provides a flexible step-by-step process for state and local CTE leaders to create more effective Career Technical Education (CTE) recruitment and program communications for all learners.
Through a self-paced tool consisting of seven short videos and an accompanying workbook, users will engage with and create communications for key audiences, increase partner engagement, and develop ongoing cycles to assess the effectiveness of communications and recruitment processes and adjust accordingly.
Communicating Career Technical Education: Learner-centered Messages for Effective Program Recruitment
In 2020, Advance CTE commissioned a national survey to test messages for attracting students and families to CTE to determine what matters most to families in their education, and measure message resilience in the midst of significant learning and economic upheaval. The new research was conducted with an equity lens through an oversampling of Black, Latinx and families experiencing low income to more accurately measure message emphasis and impact by race, ethnicity and income level.
Messaging Resources and Tools
It is important that state and local leaders use this research consistently with all learners and leaders to better promote CTE programs, and offer recruitment activities that remove barriers to learners and families to see themselves in and commit to CTE as an option for education.
Communications
Learn firsthand what families and learners think about CTE by conducting focus group discussions.
Guides & Best Practices
A tool to help state and local leaders leverage ambassadors and develop an effective strategy to engage parents and…
Communications
Fact Sheet
Explore some of the top findings from Communicating Career Technical Education: Learner-Centered Messages for Effective Program Recruitment.
Communications
Guides & Best Practices
A description of the message triangle - or core motivators - that should be at the center of any…
Communications
Slides
A set of slides, with talking points, that can be used to explain the research and train others around…
Communications
This guide from Advance CTE provides ideas for how state leaders can use the messages and research from the…
Digital and Print Materials
Communications
This guide from Advance CTE explains how to effectively use social media, explains how to integrate messages into social media…
Communications
These materials, created by the New Jersey Department of Education, explain the benefits for learners participating in CTE programs…
Communications
Template Files Advertisement targeted to families, (Indesign template, JPG side 1, JPG side 2)Size: 16.7 in x 8.7 in…
Communications
Career Technical Education Delivers for Families messaging card with fast facts.
Communications
Ready-made graphics sharing data points and topline messages on the satisfaction of families participating in CTE programs. These graphics…
Videos and Video Resources
These videos were produced as part of grant-supported work conducted with states to implement the findings of the 2017 research.
Communications
Video
This video provides a basic overview of CTE targeted to students and their families.
Career ClustersCommunications
Video
Colorado Community College System (CCCS) developed a series of videos targeted towards learners, families, school counselors and the general…
Communications
Video
Aviation and Aerospace Pathway Video Health Science Pathway Video Information Technology Pathway Video Manufacturing Pathway Video Outdoor Product…
Communications
Video
The Washington Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board developed a series of videos highlighting CTE across the state and…
Case Studies
These case studies share outcomes and lessons learned from Advance CTE’s support of states to pilot innovative and effective models to communicate about CTE with key stakeholders, learners and their families, to expand awareness of and recruitment into high-quality CTE programs.
Resource Library: Empowering Students through Career Technical Education and Career Advising
This resource library aims to provide school counselors and other advising professionals with impactful information and resources to expand existing strategies for effective career advisement and empower learners to skillfully navigate their path to career and college success. This professional development opportunity consists of six asynchronous modules with corresponding facilitation materials.
