Education & Enrichment > Trade Schools
November 19, 2025
TV Advertising for Trade Schools
Recruit skilled trades students with TV
Table of Contents
The skilled trades are in demand like never before, and people are looking for alternatives to traditional college. TV advertising puts your trade school in front of career changers, recent graduates, and parents who want practical education for their kids.
You've built programs that lead to real careers. HVAC technicians, electricians, welders, plumbers, and other skilled workers who are desperately needed in every community. But reaching the students who'd thrive in hands-on training takes more than job fair booths.
What if people considering their futures saw your workshops, your job placement rates, your graduates at work on the same screen where they watch their favorite shows?
Why Trade Schools Are Discovering TV
Skilled trades are having a moment. The college debt crisis and trade worker shortages have more people considering vocational careers.
The trade school opportunity:
Skilled worker shortages across every trade
College alternatives gaining mainstream acceptance
High earning potential with lower education costs
Career changers seeking practical skills
Parents reconsidering traditional college paths
The recruitment challenge:
Competing against college marketing budgets
Reaching both students and influencing parents
Career changers need different messaging than teens
Geographic limitations on program accessibility
Overcoming outdated perceptions of trade careers
What TV advertising offers:
Reach multiple audiences simultaneously (students, parents, career changers)
Show the reality of modern trade careers
Build institutional credibility
Expand geographic reach for residential programs
Position against traditional college as a smart alternative
The most successful trade schools are changing perceptions while recruiting students. TV advertising does both at scale.
How It Works for Trade Schools
TV advertising for trade schools showcases the reality of modern skilled trades to audiences considering their futures.
The process:
Share your website. Enter your trade school's website URL
AI creates your commercial. Adwave generates a professional ad showcasing your programs, facilities, and career outcomes
Target prospective students. Reach viewers by age, employment status, and interests in skilled work
Launch on streaming TV. Your commercial runs on 100+ premium networks during prime viewing
Track applications. Monitor inquiries, information sessions, and enrollment
What you're buying:
When you run TV ads, you're purchasing impressions on streaming platforms. Your 30-second commercial appears during shows potential students watch. They see your workshops, your equipment, your graduates succeeding.
The goal is aspiration and action. When someone considering their future sees what a trade career looks like, your school becomes their path to get there.
Targeting Options for Trade Schools
TV advertising lets you reach different audiences with the same message. Each potential student has different circumstances but similar interest in practical skills.
Recent graduate targeting (18-24):
Young adults not in college
Those working entry-level jobs
Individuals searching for direction
Gaming and entertainment audiences (where many young adults spend time)
Career changer targeting (25-45):
Adults in unsatisfying jobs
Those seeking higher income potential
People interested in hands-on work
Home improvement and DIY audiences
Parent targeting (35-55):
Parents of high school students
Families concerned about college costs
Those interested in practical education
Community-focused households
Geographic options:
Regional focus for commuter programs
National reach for residential programs
Specific markets with strong job placement
Areas with high trade worker demand
Budget Considerations
TV advertising is more accessible than most trade schools realize. You're competing for students, not Fortune 500 budgets.
Starting budgets:
Test campaign: $300-500 to gauge response
Enrollment season push: $1,000-2,500 for peak periods
Ongoing presence: $500-1,000/month for consistent recruitment
What you get for your money:
At an average CPM of $25 (cost per thousand impressions):
$500 delivers ~20,000 ad views
$1,000 delivers ~40,000 ad views
$2,500 delivers ~100,000 ad views
For context: a $1,000 campaign could show your programs to 40,000 potential students. Even if 0.5% request information, that's 200 qualified leads for your enrollment team.
Comparison to traditional recruitment:
Trade schools typically spend on:
Job fairs with limited reach
High school counselor relationships (slow to build)
Online ads competing with colleges
Direct mail with declining effectiveness
TV advertising reaches audiences in a premium context. Your trade programs appear alongside major institutions, building credibility while generating leads.
ROI considerations:
Trade school tuition often runs $10,000-30,000 per program. At these values, even a modest conversion rate from TV advertising delivers strong return on investment.
Creating Ads That Recruit
Your TV commercial should show the reality of trade careers: good pay, job security, and meaningful work.
What works for trade school ads:
Show the work: Hands-on training, real equipment, practical skills
Feature job outcomes: Employment rates, starting salaries, career paths
Include real students: Diverse individuals pursuing trades
Address concerns: Job stability, income potential, career growth
Clear path forward: How to learn more and get started
What to avoid:
Apologizing for being "not college"
Focusing only on tuition costs
Generic vocational messaging
Missing the emotional appeal of skilled work
Adwave's AI tools create professional commercials from your existing website content and program photos. Show the reality of your training without expensive production.
Timing Your Campaigns
Strategic timing aligns with when people make education decisions.
Back-to-school season (August-September):
When traditional college students return to campus, those who didn't go are reconsidering their options. Perfect time to present trade alternatives.
New Year (January-February):
Career resolutions drive adult enrollment. Many decide to change careers in January.
Spring graduation (April-June):
High school graduates making final decisions. Reach families considering alternatives to college.
Seasonal slow periods:
Trade work often slows in certain seasons. Workers with downtime consider upgrading skills.
Year-round presence:
Career changes and education decisions happen throughout the year. Consistent presence captures ongoing interest.
Measuring Success
TV advertising measurement connects to your enrollment pipeline.
What to track:
Information requests: Inquiries and application starts
Information session attendance: In-person and virtual events
Website traffic: Visits to program pages
Application completion: Conversion through the funnel
Enrollment by program: Which trades attract TV-driven students
"How did you hear about us?": Direct attribution
Setting expectations:
Education decisions take time. Someone who sees your ad may research for weeks or months before applying. Track both immediate response and longer-term enrollment trends correlated with advertising periods.
TV builds awareness that influences decisions over time.
Competing with Traditional Colleges
Trade schools compete against college marketing budgets. TV advertising helps level that field.
Reframing the competition:
Trade careers offer less debt and faster employment
Skilled workers are in demand nationwide
Income potential often matches or exceeds college graduates
Hands-on work appeals to many learning styles
The TV advantage:
On streaming TV, your programs appear in the same context as universities. You're positioning trade education as a legitimate, respected path, not a backup plan.
Getting Started
Ready to recruit skilled trades students with TV?
Step 1: Gather your outcomes data Job placement rates, starting salaries, employer partnerships. These facts sell your programs.
Step 2: Define your audiences Recent grads? Career changers? Parents? Likely a mix. Think about who's most likely to enroll.
Step 3: Set a test budget Start with $500-1,000 to learn how TV advertising works for your recruitment.
Step 4: Create your ad Use Adwave to generate a professional commercial showcasing your programs and outcomes.
Step 5: Launch and track Run your campaign, monitor applications, and refine based on enrollment patterns.
Ready to Build Your Enrollment?
Your trade programs prepare students for careers the economy desperately needs. TV advertising builds the awareness that keeps your classes full and your graduates employed.
Adwave makes TV advertising accessible for trade schools of any size. Create a professional commercial showcasing real career outcomes, target people ready for practical education, and compete effectively with traditional colleges.
The next generation of skilled workers is watching streaming TV tonight. Show them where their careers can begin.