| Recruiting Is your Networking Academy's goal to recruit as many students as possible or to encourage only appropriate candidates to apply? The first goal calls for a mass-market strategy to get the word out and the applications in the hands of anyone with an interest. A class can be filled with a newspaper ad or direct mail. Some Networking Academies choose this strategy to create general awareness about technology careers. The second goal requires more qualifying information and screening prior to the application process. A Networking Academy might provide orientation sessions or enlist the support of organizations that serve their target population. It should result in a smaller pool of more appropriate students.  Recruiting Message Technology Orientations Community-based Organizations as Recruiters Recruiting among School Populations Handling Inquiries Gender Initiatives
Recruiting MessageWhether using an ad, an orientation, a brochure, a poster, or any number of recruiting tools, the message of the materials must come first. Income potential is a powerful recruiting message, but to be complete the message must include several themes: employment requirements, networking technology, type of work, job satisfaction.Digital Divide populations are attracted by the promise of a high-tech income, but may have limited experience with technology. A Networking Academy asked prospective students: "What do you know about Cisco?" "He's a rap star. He sings The Thong Song." "I think my mother cooks with it." "Isn't he an old cowboy?" Network technology is not understood by the masses and difficult to visualize as a career possibility. People think of "computer training," as Word, Excel, or computer repair, to recruit individuals who will make informed career choices, describe the work expectations of a networking professional. The Department of Labor has developed a web-based career resource tool called America's Career Kit. O*Net  , is a comprehensive database system within America's Career Kit that provides career information by job title. It provides a snapshot of a select occupation that includes characteristics of the worker and requirements of the work. O*Net is available free to anyone who has Internet access.Samples: Focus: HOPE Network Administration Marketing Sheet Focus: HOPE Success Stories Marketing Sheet
Technology Orientations Mission High School - San Francisco, CA At a technology orientation, recruiters introduce the program to potential students or community leaders and answer questions. If held at the Networking Academy, recruiters may demonstrate the equipment. To reach out to new audiences, consider holding orientations at school board meetings, state employment offices, community technology centers, churches, job fairs, street fairs and technology fairs. "We get a list of incoming juniors from the school board and mail applications directly to the students. The City of Detroit gave us access to their convention center. Our project partners came out on a Saturday. We set up 20 stations and met with 250 applicants."
Greg Murray Communities in Schools Detroit, MI
Community-based Organizations as RecruitersSome Networking Academies work with faith-based organizations, housing providers, and other training organizations to assist in recruiting and screening. They provide orientation sessions and literature to appropriate employees. These employees become advocates for the Networking Academy and refer appropriate candidates. This helps them fulfill their mission and serves the Networking Academy. "New Heights Neighborhood Center was our best source of students. Not simply because they sent good students, but they worked with them during the training, followed up with us to check their progress and even came to graduation to celebrate with them."
Acte Maldonado, Dean Borough of Manhattan Community College New York, NY
Recruiting Among School PopulationsWithin educational organizations, teachers, career counselors, other students, and parents may help to recruit students, identify ways to share the program with them"Eastern Technical is a magnet school. In Information Technology we have two majors: computer networking and computer programming. In the 10th grade, they go through an introduction to programming, an introduction to technology, and get the basics. We begin talking about what you do in programming versus what you do in networking and the career options you have there."
Lynne Ryan, Instructor Eastern Technical High School Baltimore, MD
Handling InquiriesDepending on the strategy, a Networking Academy may make the application available to anyone or require students to request an application form. An inquiry-based application process enables the Networking Academy to qualify the individual."We provide the front office staff with two tools: a telephone assessment questionnaire and Frequently Asked Questions"
Acte Maldonado, Dean Borough of Manhattan Community College New York, NY
Gender InitiativeCisco Systems, Inc. and Cisco Learning Institute partnered with the Institute for Women in Trades, Technology & Science (IWITTS) in Fall of 1999 to create Cisco's Gender Initiative. Donna Milgram, Executive Director of IWITTS is leading Cisco's strategic plan to increase the number of female students in Cisco Networking Academy Programs (CNAPs) in secondary schools and two and four-year colleges across the US and internationally. IWITTS is a national nonprofit organization based in Alameda, CA . The Academy for Educational Development is leading the international component of the Gender Initiative.IWITTS has conducted an e-survey to identify best practices within the Cisco Networking Academy Program to recruit and retain women and girls. Some of the findings were presented in Donna Milgram's address to the 1999 Networking Academy Conference Attendees . Cisco Learning Institute has a web site that discusses international Gender Best Practices. |
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