What are the most effective ways to recruit high-quality vocational educators?

This is no different from recruiting high-quality educators with any specialism. All institutions (should!) seek dedicated, caring and visionary educators who take pride in developing their expertise at every stage of their careers, mirroring these qualities with the current staff body who they should proactively seek to train and retain. Every aspect of the recruitment process should explicitly champion and work towards this fundamental goal. Everything that doesn't should be phased out and replaced with aspects that do!

Mission fit is the starting point. I look for character, competence, chemistry with the organization and finally personal calling consistent with the work to be done.

Search the universities that developed those skill sets you want to bring to your school. Recruit a retiring trainer from the arm forces. A Master Chief from a navy machine shop can do more than new graduate out of college.

Aside from the obvious things (offer a competitive wage and benefits package, make your recruitment materials stand out, make sure your website is dynamic and easy to navigate as well as being active on social media) institutions also need to think outside the box in terms of recruiting. For example, instead of just advertising in the regular places, research organizations that target more diverse populations, and create customized job descriptions for them. In addition, ask current faculty for referrals as well as for them to reach out to their professional and academic networks.

The DNA of an organization is the overlap of the mission, vision and core values. A potential candidate ideally will share this DNA.

In my experience our networks can be our most powerful tools for recruitment and for establishing a reputation and brand for a program. It is important to build a diverse network of voices and profiles. Be willing to entertain multiple backgrounds and experiences of potential candidates. Industry is rapidly changing and therefore so is the workforce and the skills needed to be successful in a role. Together with your network you can achieve many things including a strong, industry aligned vocational program.

One of the most mentioned techniques in our research has been word of mouth and the development of alumni. An alumni network can be a great way to get an instructor into a community college classroom on a part-time basis, while they continue to work in the field. Additionally, advisory boards can be another source of potential part-time instructors.

Today, I hired three current organizational team members for additional responsibilities. A win win for each of them and my organization

People want to work at a school where their colleagues have a connection to competent and consistent leadership. Sharing the word about that leadership with like-minded professionals helps the school recruit and retain the best talent.

Drawing from experience, attracting high-quality vocational educators, which are usually practitioners, requires strategies that respect their expertise and busy schedules. Competitive compensations are essential; salaries and benefits must match or surpass what these professionals earn in their fields, recognizing the high demand for skilled tradespeople. Flexible hours are equally critical, allowing them to continue their professional practice and serve their customers. This approach has proven effective in recruiting practitioners who value the ability to balance teaching with their commitments. By acknowledging their needs and the market realities, we can engage talented educators who bring real-world expertise to vocational training.

Having leaders in your school understand the difference and needs of career and technical instructors is critical. For example, one thing that can help in this area is to provide professional development that is relevant and targeted to the career and technical education/ vocational instructor. Give them opportunities to attend national conferences such as the Association for Career and Technical Education to learn and bring that learning back to their colleagues.

Strategic planning and culture are both important. Of these, culture is the most important. And, leaders author culture by the decisions they make.

Vocational education and the educators who provide it can be tricky to navigate. Despite its undisputed relevance, vocational education and training is not a particularly popular career choice. This can make it difficult to find educators with structured or definite qualifications. To ensure that you attract the right educators for your needs, it's important to create a clear job profile, outlining the required skills and responsibilities. By doing this before beginning the recruitment process, you can ensure that you find the best match for your curriculum and educational goals.

We know that there is a shortage of career and technical education/vocational education instructors at both the secondary and postsecondary levels. Those that teach in this area need expertise in two domains pedagogy/andragogy and their technical content area. After conducting a focus group on this issue partnerships emerged as one innovative approach to get instructors in the classroom. Industry partners can play a key role in this area. Partnering with industry could share employees (bring technical experts in as instructors), apprenticeships to take those with technical expertise and develop their teaching skills, and recruiting individuals that are close to retirement to come give back to share their expertise with the next generation.

Should seek those who have real world experience in the field. Perhaps only requiring CTE certification. My son is being interviewed for high school culinary teaching positions. He brings both the CTE plus 15+ years in the industry. A winning combination!

Showcase a positive and supportive work environment. Emphasize aspects such as collaborative faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and a commitment to innovation in teaching and learning. Connect with vocation networks, both online and offline to meet potential candidates. Engage with vocational education communities on social media platforms and participate in discussions to increase your visibility.