Seven Things to Do with a Database of U.S. Vocational Education Programs

By Rachel Kerstetter, PR Architect, Sonnhalter

974_4338603We did the legwork to identify more than 20,000 vocational programs at schools all across the United States, so that you don’t have to. All you have to do is download it.

But once you’ve downloaded the Excel spreadsheet, what can you do with it?

Here are seven different ways you can use our database:

  1. Build your network. Locate the programs in your area, and connect with the folks that run them. You never know when having a connection in those training programs could be beneficial.
  2. Become a resource for them. Whether it’s offering to send someone from your organization to speak to a class or volunteering to host a facility tour, the next generation of tradespeople won’t be able to be trained properly without support from the industry.
  3. Hire their students. Use the programs in your area as places to recruit skilled employees, co-ops, interns or apprentices.
  4. Supply them. If you offer a product or service that’s of use in a training program, supply these programs either through donations of your products or heavily discounted equipment, students will be more likely to use the equipment they’re familiar with from school once they get into the workforce. This grassroots strategy has long-term benefits; an ongoing relationship with a vo-ed program will provide exposure for you for each new class.
  5. Learn them. Get to know the next generation better. Millennials as a generation seem to frighten marketers and managers, but there’s no reason to be scared. Millennials are bright, technologically inclined and learn quickly; the sooner you engage with this young talent, the better.
  6. Get your distributors involved. Your distribution network can amplify your efforts to combat the skills gap. They can reach into areas far from your headquarters and help train the next generation.
  7. Share. Please share our list with anyone that it may help, whether it’s a colleague in the industry or someone who is looking for a rewarding career path.

It will take teamwork and effective communication to help close the skills gap that the industry is facing. Support for vocational training programs is crucial, and it should come from those within the industry. This list is just one tool that can help facilitate those efforts.

Visit sonnhalter.com/vocational to download the database and get started.

And of course, don’t hesitate to contact us if you need help getting started.

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Perspective on Training

Having a trained workforce is a major challenge in several of the industries that we work with. I wanted to share some highlights from a blog post by the NAED president (National Association of Electrical Distributors) answering the question: Why is training important?

Tom Naber, president of NAED, writes about training as:

  • An opportunity to expand your employee’s knowledge base.
  • An investment that provides benefits to both your company and your employee.
  • An ongoing activity, not a one-time event.

Many associations, like NAED, provide resources that make having a well-trained workforce attainable and are usually the best place to start your process of training your staff.

To read Tom Naber’s post, “Why Is Training Important?” visit the NAED blog.

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