How to Boost Student Recruitment in STEM Subjects

Introduction

STEM subjects always took the back seat in the past, but today, they are thriving. People prefer to invest their education in a STEM subject because it’s still highly relevant when starting a career in a STEM related field. You either need to have an in-depth knowledge of the field, or you need a degree as part of the requirements towards licensing.

This gives STEM universities and subjects a leg up over the humanities struggling with value-cost issues today. Students in the humanities are finding that their university degree is not offering them an advantage over other candidates, and this is an issue that those programs need to address.

That being said, the rise of interest in STEM also has a drawback – more competition. In order to draw students to your specific STEM courses and programs, you are going to want to use these student recruitment tips.

1. Hire a Specialist Agency

The first step is to hire a specialist agency with a lot of experience in the education sector. They not only know how to craft a winning message that draws in potential students, but they also know exactly where and how to get that message across. Hiring a company like Eleven Agency will do more for your recruitment efforts than anything else. Even with a great marketing brand by your side, however, you will still want to offer value that will help your brand stand out.

2. Forge Partnerships with Big Tech Names

Partnerships between business and universities are huge when it comes to student recruitment. If you have a relationship with big tech names like Google, for example, you are going to immediately draw in student interest. The partnerships can be a sponsored competition, a mentorship program students can apply for, or even special short courses hosted by Google (or other tech brands). Don’t just think that it’s all about the biggest names, either. If you can create a winning career pathway for your students by partnering with a smaller startup, do it, and then market those relationships to the max.

3. Offer Unique Project Opportunities

Similarly, you will also want to give students free rein. You can do this by offering project opportunities. Host a robotics competition that students can enroll in and get mentorship advice from faculty staff during office hours. After the first year of this program, you can start advertising it as a huge draw since it showcases how you value individual advancement in at least one STEM subject.

4. Give Second-Career Professionals a Home

When it comes to recruiting students, know you won’t just want to get in touch with teens who haven’t yet gone to university or had a full-time job. You are also going to want to draw in second-career professionals. The best way to do this is to offer short courses and workshops, and to advertise these at job fairs and conferences. You want to be the one professional go to when they want to brush up on their experience or skills, so you need to be where professionals go to advance their skillset.