What are Student Personas?
Student personas are fictional, research-based profiles that represent different types of learners you want to attract to your courses. They help you understand your audience’s motivations, challenges, and goals, so you can tailor your marketing, course design, and messaging to meet their specific needs. By using student personas, you can move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and create more personalised, targeted campaigns that resonate with your audience and ultimately drive higher enrolments.
Why are Student Personas Important?
The “Evaluation of the Higher Education Short Course Trial,” published on 10 January 2024, highlighted a significant challenge faced by course providers: many struggled to promote their new offerings effectively. A key reason for this was the lack of clarity around their target audience, leaving them uncertain about who to focus their marketing efforts on.
To address this issue, here’s a set of example personas that providers can use as a starting point. These personas represent potential student groups, each with distinct motivations and needs. By using these as a guide, providers can research and tailor their marketing strategies more effectively, ensuring they reach the right people with the right message.
12 Student Personas to Help Promote Short Courses
Note: Each persona should serve as a starting point—providers can further research and adapt these to fit their specific offerings and audiences.
1. Career Switchers
Individuals transitioning into a new industry or role who need to acquire relevant skills quickly.
- Motivation: They seek affordable, time-efficient courses to get job-ready for a career change.
- Pain Point: Often feel overwhelmed by the skills gap between their previous role and their new target field.
- Marketing Message: “Fast-track your career change with in-demand skills employers want.”
2. Freelancers and Entrepreneurs
Freelancers or small business owners wanting to upskill in areas like marketing, finance, or operations.
- Motivation: They need practical, hands-on knowledge without committing to long-term programmes.
- Pain Point: Juggling business demands while learning new skills.
- Marketing Message: “Master the skills to manage and grow your business confidently.”
3. Corporate Teams
HR departments or team leaders seeking training to upskill employees in leadership, project management, or digital skills.
- Motivation: They need flexible, customisable courses that can be delivered to teams to improve collective performance.
- Pain Point: Finding training that is relevant, adaptable, and fits team schedules.
- Marketing Message: “Empower your team with practical, customisable courses designed for corporate success.”
4. Stay-at-Home Parents Returning to Work
Parents who took a break from their career and want to refresh or gain new skills before re-entering the workforce.
- Motivation: They need flexible, time-efficient learning that fits around family commitments.
- Pain Point: Balancing family responsibilities with the need to update skills quickly.
- Marketing Message: “Get back to work with confidence and new skills, on your own schedule.”
5. Retirees or Senior Learners
Retired professionals or seniors who want to keep learning, either for personal interest or to pursue part-time work.
- Motivation: They are driven by lifelong learning or a desire to remain engaged through hobbies or passion projects.
- Pain Point: Finding relevant, engaging courses that fit into a slower-paced or part-time schedule.
- Marketing Message: “Stay curious and keep learning—skills for personal growth at every stage of life.”
6. International Students
Students abroad looking to enhance their qualifications with short, accessible courses in English.
- Motivation: They seek international credentials to boost their global job market competitiveness.
- Pain Point: Adjusting to different cultural and language norms in professional settings while learning.
- Marketing Message: “Boost your global career prospects with internationally recognised short courses.”
7. Job Seekers or Recently Unemployed
Individuals looking for a quick way to improve their employability and stand out in competitive job markets.
- Motivation: They need fast and affordable skills development to increase their chances of landing a job.
- Pain Point: Struggling to stand out in a crowded job market and feeling a lack of confidence.
- Marketing Message: “Fast-track your job search with new skills employers are actively seeking.”
8. Technical Workers Needing Soft Skills
Professionals in technical roles (e.g., IT, engineering) who need to develop complementary soft skills such as communication, leadership, or management.
- Motivation: They recognise that advancing their career requires more than just technical expertise.
- Pain Point: Limited opportunities to learn soft skills in their technical work environment.
- Marketing Message: “Complement your technical expertise with the soft skills that drive success.”
9. Part-Time Students
Individuals enrolled in degree programmes looking to supplement their education with practical or specialised skills.
- Motivation: They want to enhance their employability with hands-on skills while continuing their formal education.
- Pain Point: Balancing traditional studies with the need to gain practical, career-ready skills.
- Marketing Message: “Enhance your degree with practical skills—get job-ready faster.”
10. Volunteers or Non-Profit Workers
Individuals in the non-profit sector seeking to improve skills in management, fundraising, or digital marketing to help their organisations grow.
- Motivation: They want specific skills that will help them make a bigger impact within their non-profit work.
- Pain Point: Lack of budget-friendly, practical training options tailored for the non-profit sector.
- Marketing Message: “Maximise your impact with skills designed for non-profit success.”
11. Gig Economy Workers
People working in the gig economy, such as delivery drivers, freelancers, or content creators, who want to diversify their income streams or upskill for better-paying gigs.
- Motivation: They need short, flexible courses that fit around their current gig work schedule.
- Pain Point: Balancing multiple jobs with learning new skills for more sustainable income.
- Marketing Message: “Boost your skills and income potential with flexible, short courses for the gig economy.”
12. Remote Workers
Professionals working remotely looking to sharpen skills like productivity, virtual collaboration, or remote project management.
- Motivation: They want to excel in a remote work environment and stay ahead in a digital-first world.
- Pain Point: Struggling with isolation, productivity, and the unique challenges of remote work.
- Marketing Message: “Master the skills for success in a remote-first world and thrive in the digital workplace.”
Over to you
I hope this guide gives you a solid starting point for understanding your audience and shaping your marketing strategies. Remember, these personas are just the beginning—you can (and should) tweak and adapt them based on your specific courses and the learners you want to reach. The key is to really connect with your audience, address their unique needs, and show them how your courses can make a difference in their lives. With a bit of research and personalisation, you’ll be well on your way to boosting engagement and enrolments. Good luck!
