"Career and Technical Education (Adult/Vocational/Technology and Industry Education) is the best kept secret on campus - spread the word!" Simply, teaching is something we can be proud of. And, recruiting is an activity we should all consider significant, designed to positively influence a students career choice when teaching. A recruiter should be a tool for promoting student interest, cooperation, and visibility of careers. Recruiting is an activity we do daily when we are excited about what we do.

Perhaps, that key person is you! An individual excited about Career and Technical Education (Adult/Vocational/Technology and Industry Education). You are a positive role model. You display an image that helps perspective students think that teaching is an exciting career. Without this excitement, it is increasingly difficult to attract students into teaching careers.
 

From a recruiting perspective, it is important to realize the influence you have as a teacher. Many students are unaware of the professional opportunities that teaching offers. When teaching, it is especially important to emphasize how rewarding teaching is, and to point out its advantages. Seymour and Wright offer the following ideas.

"Teaching is an exciting field that is constantly evolving, with new trends in education and innovation."

"Working with young, impressionable learners is among the many rewards of classroom teaching."

"Teaching includes benefits such as opportunities to attend conferences, the chance to coach and help with extracurricular activities, as well as the friendship among students, parents, and fellow educators."

In addition, Seymour and Wright offer the following tips when trying to recruit prospective students. For example, recruiting should develop a link between university and community college programs, the community, primary and secondary practicing teachers, and more. Audiences to consider for recruiting activities include:

Teachers - primary, secondary, community college, and university.

Students - high school and nondeclared college majors. Often students promoting their interests do a much better job.

Counselors - high school, community college, and university.

Administrators - high school, community college, universities, civic groups, allied program areas, business and industry, and military.

Business professionals - business and industry.

Parents - most parents would be proud to say their son or daughter is a teacher.

Friends - most friends are intrigued by what technology teachers know and are able to do. You would be surprised how many people you know might be interested in teaching if only someone discussed the possibilities with them.

With this in mind, recruiting is an integral part of every school campus, and it should be the responsibility of everyone associated with education. Not to mention, working with students and watching them grow academically can give one a tremendous amount of enjoyment. Be proactive, not reactive! Keep in mind, today's learners are tomorrow's leaders.

"Promote yourself and the Career and Technical Education (Adult/Vocational/Technology and Industry Education) profession." Teaching is a rewarding career!

Source: (Seymour and Wright, 1993: Share The Future).