UH Community Colleges CTE marketing campaign awarded in national competition

The University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges are providing pathways for in-demand careers—and the nation is taking notice.

The University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges won a gold Paragon Award for the best TV/Video Advertisement Series from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations. The entry was the marketing campaign highlighting exciting Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and was one of more than 1,570 entries from 210 colleges nationwide that rose to the top.

The winning video series shines a spotlight on non-traditional CTE programs that help Hawaiʻi residents launch rewarding careers while staying close to home. Featured programs include:

Produced in partnership with Honolulu-based marketing agency Olomana Loomis, the videos are part of a larger effort to elevate the visibility of these high-demand career pathways.

“We are honored to receive this prestigious National Council for Marketing & Public Relations Paragon Award,” said Lesli Yogi, director of marketing and communications for the UH Community Colleges. “This recognition is a testament to the hard work, creativity and dedication of our seven campuses’ marketing teams, whose talent and passion brought these student success stories to life.”

From healthcare and welding to information technology and construction, UH Community Colleges offer a wide range of CTE programs that prepare students for high-growth careers in Hawaiʻi. According to UH, these programs provide credentials of value—meaning students graduate ready to work in fields that are hiring and paying competitive wages.

“Our members are doing the important work of ensuring both prospective and current students know of the potentially life-changing opportunities available at their institutions,” said Virginia Moreland, National Council for Marketing & Public Relations president. “The winning entries demonstrated the incredible creativity, commitment and resourcefulness of community college marketing professionals throughout our organization, and we are so proud to recognize them with the Paragon Awards.”

NCMPR’s Paragon Awards are the only national competition honoring excellence in marketing and communications exclusively among two-year colleges. The organization supports more than 1,600 members from nearly 500 colleges in the U.S. and Canada.