Building Better Admissions Teams: Insights from Bruce Watson on the Trade School Growth Podcast

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In the world of vocational education, admissions teams are the backbone of a school’s success. Without a high-performing admissions team, enrollment numbers drop, prospective students fall through the cracks, and life-changing opportunities are lost. This is exactly what we explored in the latest episode of the Trade School Growth Podcast with Bruce Watson, Ed.D. , a higher education professional with over a decade of experience in admissions, recruitment, and marketing.

Bruce shared invaluable insights into building and maintaining effective admissions teams for trade schools. Below are the key takeaways from our discussion.

What Makes an Exceptional Admissions Team?

When hiring for admissions roles, many schools focus too heavily on experience in the specific field. Bruce argues that this might not always be the best approach. Instead, focus on personality traits and transferable skills, which are more critical to success.

Here’s what Bruce says to prioritize:

• Enthusiasm: Reps must bring energy and excitement to every conversation. Each interaction should feel like their first, even if it’s their 100th call that day.
• Curiosity: Lifelong learners make the best admissions reps. Why? They’re always eager to grow, improve, and innovate, making them easy to coach and adaptable to new strategies.
• Empathy: Prospective students often feel overwhelmed or unsure about taking the next step. Reps who can validate their concerns and guide them through the process are invaluable.

“Program details can be taught,” Bruce emphasizes, “but you can’t teach someone to care.”

Training That Works: Build Skills, Build Confidence

Even the most enthusiastic reps need robust training to excel. Bruce highlighted a few proven training strategies:

1. Live Role-Playing: Bring your team together monthly to simulate real-life scenarios. One person plays the prospective student, and another acts as the rep. Rotate roles to give everyone a chance to practice answering tough questions.
2. Peer-to-Peer Coaching: Encourage team members to listen to and provide feedback on each other’s calls. It fosters collaboration and strengthens the team as a whole.
3. Self-Coaching: Have reps listen to recordings of their own calls and identify areas for improvement. This builds self-awareness and encourages continuous improvement.
4. Ongoing Support: Admissions can be a high-pressure role. Regular one-on-ones with leadership to review performance and mindset are key to keeping reps motivated.

Metrics: Quality Over Quantity

The age-old standard of “100 dials a day” may no longer be the most effective metric for admissions success. Bruce suggests shifting the focus to more meaningful indicators:

• Conversion Rates: How many conversations lead to applications?
• Yield Rates: What percentage of applicants enroll?
• Melt Rates: How many admitted students fail to enroll, and why?

“Instead of valuing activity for activity’s sake,” Bruce advises, “look at the quality of the conversations and the results they generate.”

This doesn’t mean activity doesn’t matter. If reps aren’t hitting their numbers, the solution might be increasing outreach. But the goal is to create substantive conversations, not superficial ones.

The Difference Between Sales and Enrollment

Admissions is not just sales. Bruce and I both agreed that the goal of admissions should be enrollment, which is about helping students envision their transformation.

While sales is often transactional, enrollment is transformational. It’s about showing prospective students how your school can help them become the person they want to be.

“The program is the vehicle,” Bruce explains. “The focus should be on the student’s journey, their goals, and their future.”

Why This Matters Now

As Gen Z becomes the dominant demographic for trade schools, the expectations for admissions teams are evolving. Students want personalized, authentic experiences that go beyond a sales pitch. They’re looking for schools that understand their goals and can offer a clear return on their investment.

If your admissions team isn’t meeting these expectations, it’s time to rethink your approach.

Final Thoughts

This episode was packed with actionable strategies for improving admissions teams, from hiring and training to setting the right metrics. Whether you’re an admissions leader, a campus director, or a rep looking to improve your skills, Bruce’s advice offers a clear roadmap to success.

If you missed the episode, you can watch it here or listen on your favorite podcast platform. Just search for the trade school growth podcast.

Let’s keep the conversation going! What’s one strategy you’ve used to improve admissions at your school? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

About Bruce Watson

Bruce Watson is a higher education professional with over ten years of experience in admissions, recruitment, and marketing. As the founder of Watson Admissions Consulting, he helps schools drive enrollment and improve accessibility while supporting students through the admissions process.