Tech Directions - March 2008 - (Page 19)

Fill and Fund Your CAD Classroom with These Exciting Strategies By James Ruble jlruble@aol.com D O you have plenty of students signing up for your classes? Could you use a few more? Would you like a way to make lots of money for your program? Do you want some ideas for getting industry involved in your program? Are you the best-kept secret in your school? If so, I think I have some ideas you can use. Consider these key four areas: recruiting, funding, training, and entrepreneurship. Each is different but, for those of us in career and technical education (CTE), equal. Recruiting Times have certainly changed for me over the last 30 years, and recruiting is more important than ever. This year, I tried a new approach: total showmanship. In fact, one of my colleagues complained to a counselor that he wasn’t going to put on a “circus act” (hinting about me) to attract students. The counselor said, “Maybe you should.” So, why the circus act? Because it worked. My numbers went from 15 new students the past year to 34 for this year and at least that many for next year. It is all about recruiting! One strategy: Promote “The Dream.” For our students, the dream is a successful career in computeraided drafting/design (CAD). We James Ruble is a CAD instructor, Mansfield (OH) Senior High School. printed over 100 full-color, studentneed to convince skeptical students designed posters on D-size paper that by learning the skills necessary that the students hung all over the to succeed in CAD, they can achieve school. (See examples on the next one of their most important current page.) goals—acquiring money. We have a 9th- through 12thI’ve learned that it’s all about grade building of over 1,500 stupublicity, anywhere and anytime. The dents, and by the time my students broadcasting class at my comprewere done, no one could look at any hensive high school did a short wall from any angle without seeing piece about my program that ran one of our posters! We timed them several times a day on a local cable station for two weeks before registration. Many parents discovered us through this video. Cultivate relationships with people who can put you on the map. The home page of my school’s Web site featured my program every day for several weeks. Every time people logged on to www.TygerPride.com, they saw my proPage from the school Web site gram. Parents routo blitz the school before the sophotinely use the Web page to see the more visits. school schedule and their child’s Hint: It is usually easier to obtain grades, so they could not help but forgiveness than permission—I see the page about my CAD prodidn’t ask if I could put posters on gram. the walls. By the time they were up, One day last March, I told my the buzz was very positive from staff students that we needed to promote and students, and no one objected. CAD in the school to attract stuAnd now, everyone asks when my dents for next year. I had them posters are going up. brainstorm ideas for recruiting. Before registering for classes, Their favorite scheme: posters. We www.techdirections.com PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION/CAD 19 http://www.tygerpride.com http://www.techdirections.com

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Tech Directions - March 2008 Technically Speaking Contents Direct from Washington The News Report Technology’s Past Technology Today Mastering Computers HDTV—Understanding the New, Dealing with the Old Technical Studies Lead to Dream Career Fill and Fund Your CAD Classroom with These Exciting Strategies STEM Progress in Katrina’s Wake School Web Site of the Month Spring Spotlight More than Fun

Tech Directions - March 2008

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