Enrollment Playbook by CMP

There are 42 million Americans walking around right now with college credits and no degree. Fewer than 3% of them re-enrolled last academic year. That is the largest, most underserved enrollment opportunity in the country, and almost no trade school is marketing to it. In Episode 14 of Enrollment Playbook by CMP, Michael Gonzalez and Andrea Gonzalez break down why career colleges are uniquely posi...

The AI economy runs on electricians and HVAC technicians. And the U.S. is hundreds of thousands of workers short of building it. JLL's April 2026 report puts the cost of the skilled trades shortage at up to one trillion dollars per year in lost economic activity. By 2030, about 2.1 million electrician, HVAC, plumber, and construction positions could go unfilled. The data center buildout alone...

Your next medical assistant student is asking ChatGPT for school recommendations right now. Is your name in the answer? In just twelve months, the share of adult learners using AI tools to research programs jumped from 4% to 20%, a five-fold increase, according to Search Influence's 2026 higher ed benchmarks. Half of prospects now use AI weekly, and 79% read Google's AI Overviews before cl...

Key Topics: AI job displacement New prospect persona Messaging strategy Facebook & Google ad tactics The 90-day window

Every four-year university is panicking about the enrollment cliff. You shouldn't be. The 18-year-old cohort in the U.S. peaked in 2025. Traditional colleges are staring at a 15-year decline. But trade schools, allied health programs, and career colleges? You serve a completely different audience — and right now, everything in the economy is driving that audience straight to you. ✔ AI and auto...

Workforce Pell expands federal Pell Grant eligibility to short-term training programs on July 1, 2026 — and most career colleges are treating it as paperwork, not a marketing opportunity. In this episode, Michael and Andrea break down which programs qualify, why leading with "federally funded" in your ads beats any financing message, and the exact four updates your marketing needs before...

Everything College and Trade School Leaders Need to Know, in Under Six Minutes.

Why Your Enrollment Software Might Be Working Against You — and What to Do About It.

The Admissions Call Is the Most Important Marketing Moment in Your Entire Funnel

The Program Page Mistakes That Are Costing You Enrollments Every Single Day.

Understanding the Adult Learner Who Makes Up Your Core Enrollment Market.

Why the First Three Minutes After an Inquiry Are Worth More Than Your Entire Ad Budget

What the Data Actually Shows for Working-Parent & Career-Changer Audiences.

The Most Powerful — and Most Underused — Messaging Lever in Trade School Marketing.