A local high school student clicks on a career and technical education (CTE) website out of sheer curiosity. Minutes later, they’ve found a program they didn’t know existed. Now, they can picture a future they hadn’t considered before. That’s the power of a well-designed digital experience!
Over the past year, we’ve helped several clients in the workforce development space curate these moments, helping them bridge gaps between local businesses and the next generation of skilled professionals. As we helped them reimagine their websites and digital strategies by employing dynamic visuals and interactive content we walked away with key insights into what’s truly impactful when it comes to communicating the value of CTE—and what it takes to move students from passive interest to active engagement.
Relatability Brings Results
Authenticity matters to a majority of younger folks. Students want to hear directly from peers who’ve lived the experience already to guide their choices. Given this, CTE websites featuring testimonials and real student stories enjoyed higher levels of engagement across the board. Student voices bring credibility and relatability to what might otherwise feel like another dry institutional website. When students see and hear from peers who are succeeding, they begin to picture themselves doing the same.
Data Drives the Narrative
Both students and their parents are interested in what comes after graduation. Will the time and energy invested in a CTE program pay off? Career exploration content that includes wage data, local job projections, and industry demand paints a clearer picture of the road ahead. Integrating this data, especially through visuals and simple comparison tools, helps parents feel confident in their child’s future and shows students that fulfilling, high-wage careers don’t always require a four-year degree.
One major takeaway we learned from promoting these programs was that most students learned how broad CTE actually is. Students still associate CTE with a narrow set of trades like auto repair or welding, but many programs offer additional paths into cybersecurity, graphic design, and beyond!
Game-Changing Engagement
One of the most unique elements we’ve implemented on a CTE website was an interactive quiz. Students could see a list of CTE pathways that matched their personalities by answering a few questions about their interests, strengths, and values. This gamified content kept users on the site and transformed the experience from passive to personal. Features like quizzes or virtual tours help demystify the process and make CTE exploration feel less like homework and more like an exciting possibility.
Our work with CTE and workforce development clients taught us that digital strategy can shape perceptions and futures, too. By centering student voices, providing clear information, and building interactive experiences, these websites can shape a skilled, passionate, and locally rooted workforce.
Want to explore how your CTE or workforce development program could better connect with your community? Contact the PPR team today, and we’ll help you get to work.
