Next Generation of Students:

Recruitment Strategies for ET Programs

Ashok Agrawal

St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley

2003 ETLI

Host: ASU-East, Phoenix, AZ

October 20, 2003

Goal

Improving Undergraduate Recruitment and Retention

The goal to improve undergraduate recruitment and retention in engineering technology needs no justification. The basic facts are relatively clear. ET programs receive most of its first year students directly from the local high schools. Few come from other states and fewer still from other countries.

Therefore we need to understand - Who are we recruiting? How can we reach them best? What they like or don’t like? What they expect from us?

Can we continue to do business as usual?

I say - “not”

Who are you recruiting? Who is our student body?

(Notes from Neil Howe and William Strauss’ book “Millennials Rising”)

· They are not Gen X and/or Gen Y.

· Neil Howe and William Strauss in their book “Millennials Rising” have labeled them as Millennials

· Who are Millennials? – They were born in 1982 and after, i.e. the high school class of 2000 and later

· This is the smartest generation

· This generation isn’t all about sex, drugs, and violence.

· It’s about technology, discovery, and coming together as a nation

· They are saying Good-bye to body-piercing, green hair, grunge music and the deliberately uncouth look.

· They look up to their parents and think bowling is fun

· They are not “lost” but “found” generation

· They are optimists, but are very concerned about their future, i.e. ability to find good jobs.

· They are cooperative and team players

· They accept authority

· They are rule followers

· They are smarter than most people think – aptitude test scores have risen within every racial and ethnic group, especially in elementary school.

· 35.5% of Millennials are of nonwhite race and Latino ethnicity

· They are technology savvy

· They are creating major challenges for the corporate America. It does not know how best to market and to reach them

· They are not easily impressed

· Female students are the leaders and over-achievers of this generation

· They can do it all

· They are being raised in the children focused society

Recruitment Strategies

· Focus on parents; often they are the decision makers.

Focus on academically strong 9^th and 10^th grade students. ET faculty and departments often give up on this group for engineering and other highly challenging and rewarding programs.
Develop a comprehensive database to track students through high school. Use the database for target recruiting.
Develop comprehensive marketing plans for students already on campus. For ET programs undecided on-campus students could be the strongest prospects.
Market special strengths and qualities of ET programs and your department.
Use alumni and your industry contacts in recruitment efforts.
Use current students more extensively in recruitment efforts in high schools, especially recent graduates of the high school.
Deploy recruitment staff in your community. Someone needs to be out there at any and all events to communicate your message and promote your programs.
Expand recruitment efforts for in-state students, i.e. beyond your immediate region. It is quite likely that your ET program/s may be one a kind in the state.
Target job market and emphasize quality, and cost advantage of ET programs.
Target non-traditional groups. Not only it is good for your program, but you will also address the societal need to lift the disadvantage groups in the main stream of economic well-being.
Today’s high school students are technologically savvy. They get most of their information from the web and chat sites. Enhance your web site with video and audio clips.
Attract superior high school students who have completed the entrance requirements to enroll in selected university courses while in high school. Don’t give up on them. Often for family and personal reasons they may want to stay near home, and ET programs may be a very desirable alternative.
Create opportunities and programs to bring middle and high school students, teachers, and counselors to your department. Any time you can get them on campus and into your labs and classrooms, you increase your chances of getting them on board. Think of your car buying experience, the primary objective of a car salesman is to get you in the car and test drive the car.
Increase the number and value of entrance scholarships to attract a higher percentage of the most able students. Money talks.
If you are a non-residential institution, develop partnerships with nearby apartment complexes to provide reasonable and reliable housing options. If your institution has residence hall, use residence accommodation as an in-kind scholarship.
Develop highly focused international recruitment for ET programs. U.S. higher education is the most sought after technological education by foreign students; take advantage of this market.

Specific Programs and Activities

Format your programs in more desirable clusters.
Place Kiosks in malls, high schools, and community sites.
Utilize Tech-Prep, Dual Enrollment, AP credit courses as recruitment tools
Organize summer workshops for teachers, students and parents on latest technologies and interest areas.
Advertise strategically in daily papers, special market magazines, journals, news bulletins, and school newspapers.
Promote your programs and offerings to professional, community, and faith-based organizations.
Organize campus visits for short tours, hands-on workshops during school days. Teachers and counselors are always looking for educational field trips.
Collaborate in Project Lead The Way curriculum.
Host or help facilitate national, regional, and local academic and fun competitions at your school and departments. Your departments involvement in activities such as TEAMS, WYSE, US FIRST Competition, FIRST Lego League, and If I Had A Hammer program should generate tremendous good for your program and your institution in high schools and in the community at large.