Retention: The Basis of a Successful Career College
The burgeoning of the number of career colleges throughout the U.S., has created competition between the private colleges/universities, public colleges/universities, and virtually every post secondary institution in the country.
This is not a bad thing, because it opens the door wider for opportunity to the traditional and non-traditional student. Virtually all of these institutions have different policies and procedures. In addition many of them rely on the student's ability to get federal funding, or scholarship monies.
To acquire and keep these students interested, and within the institution's walls is more than a full time job. Faculty, staff and the students themselves must feel the institution offers exactly what they need, in order to succeed.
The Career College, in many cases, offers a valuable variety of courses. In doing so, career colleges provide a choice not offered by many four schools. From Certificates to Degrees the Career College provides differentiation of the classes offered versus the Community College, or four year college/university. Using these differences in classes, and providing the resourses discussed earlier, help to maintain and attract the non-traditional student, and the students that are seeking skill development versus disciplines such as marketing, biology, etc.
But the most important issue is keeping the student interested, active and providing a learning environment, in which the student gets a return for his/her investment of time and capital.
Mark, how do you persuade students to put their cell phones aside?
I would also add that many students do not come from an environment where they saw true study skills. Describing how they are supposed to actually learn the material through study in an environment where they are not interrupted by children and a cell phone every few minutes can make a huge difference. This allows them to really concentrate and remember the material later. That feeling adds to college satisfaction.
As you point out, students have choices and will vote with their feet if they are satisfied with the product they are getting.
I agree that having many post secondary intitutions (with multiple programs)to choose from gives students a broad spectrum from which to choose a specific career path. Everything starts with the admissions team. Enrollment advisors must be sure that the choice for the potential student is the right choice. They must show interest in the program if they are going to complete the program. After that, it is on the faculty & staff to make sure to make class remains interesting in order for the student to want to return to class tomorrow. Anyone can lecture for hours but that can be quite boring and uneventful. Students need to feel the excitement of actually doing things that are interesting and fun in the classroom. They need to be fulfilled academically and must be challenged to learn more every day.
Career colleges and trade schools are very good things to have the only downside to this is that you done get a lot of students who are forced into by way of court or probation and it makes it very hard on an instructor or staff to deal with the people who dont want to be here themselves but have to or they go to jail. they still get the funding and yes there are the ones who came for the reason of court etc. but they take away a love for what they do and truly want what they came to school for.
Well put, Eugene. When done right, our sector delivers a very valuable product - for students and commerce.
