Higher Pass tells committee its career-marketing campaign reached millions; seeks sustained funding

Kristen Bridal, founder of New Boston Creative Group and the Higher Pass career-marketing campaign, told the Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development that the program has grown into a statewide public–private effort aimed at keeping Kansas youth in-state by raising awareness of in-demand careers and alternative postsecondary pathways. Bridal said the effort began as seed-funded work with private industry and later leveraged federal ESSER grants: “We were able to get a $1,000,000 ESSER fund grant,” she told the committee, and added the group also received earlier multi-year funding.

Bridal said Higher Pass targets parents as its primary audience, arguing parents guide early career conversations, and uses short videos, social media, broadcast placements and a PBS 30‑minute version of its “cool careers” series to reach families. She told lawmakers the program has reached more than 2,000,000 people across social channels, nearly 300,000 unique website users and more than 500,000 YouTube views in the past year.

Private partners and initial investors named by Bridal include Textron Aviation, Stormont Vail Health and the Kansas Contractors Association; she said one of those three remains a continuing funder. Bridal described partnerships with the Kansas State Department of Education, the Board of Regents’ workforce-development staff, the Department of Commerce Office of Apprenticeship, 4‑H and PBS affiliates. The campaign also added Spanish-language captions and filmed at least one full Spanish-language episode.

In a round of questions, Representative Clayton asked whether Higher Pass had engaged labor unions and whether the campaign can prove placement outcomes. Bridal said she has begun outreach to union leaders and has documentary examples of career pathways but noted it is too soon to show long-term job-placement ROI because the program focuses on elementary and middle‑school awareness; “these kids are all still in the public school system,” she said. Legislators also asked about funding stability; Bridal said initial private seed pledges were $50,000 per year for three years from multiple employers and that ESSER funding included $300,000 per year for three years in an earlier award (totaling $900,000) plus a later $1,000,000 award with an 18‑month spend period.

Bridal asked for help building sustained private and philanthropic funding, and for consideration of state support to maintain media buys and staff. Committee members thanked Bridal for the presentation; no committee action or vote followed.