Who Are We Missing? Understanding and Reaching Underrepresented Prospective Community College Populations

Despite a thriving economy, U.S. employers are struggling to find the qualified workers they need, while an estimated 30 million Americans remain unemployed or underemployed, often working multiple low-wage jobs to make ends meet. For many of these individuals, the only barrier to securing stable, well-paying employment is a credential from a nearby community college. While community colleges offer a variety of affordable programs, many of which lead to high-demand jobs with strong wages, those who would benefit most from economic mobility are not enrolling. Why not?

Creating Outreach that Works

This template is designed to assist institutions in crafting messaging that is tailored to specific target audiences and helps them to clearly define their audience and develop messaging strategies based on the audience's characteristics. 

Outreach and Messaging to Underrepresented Populations: Tools and Resources

Drawing from focus groups and survey results, Aspen has gained valuable insights into how to effectively communicate the value of community college programs to opportunity youth, unemployed adults, and underemployed adults. Based on these findings, this guide offers practical advice on how to craft and deliver messaging about a college's programs to these target audiences.