May 8, 2019 (Drumright, Okla.) 

In order to help close the skills gap and raise awareness of career options in the skilled trades, Central Technology Center, today participated in SkillsUSA National Signing Day Sponsored by Klein Tools, celebrating thousands of high school seniors across the country pursuing a career in the skilled trades. Central Tech was one of approximately 300 schools across the U.S. participating in National Signing Day, which recognized over 2,500 students nationwide.

“We are thrilled we were able to partner with SkillsUSA and Klein Tools’ for the first-ever National Signing Day,” says LaDonna Gear, Campus Director of Central Tech Drumright. “As the shortage of skilled workers increases, we encourage students to enter this rewarding industry. Our seniors should be proud of everything they have accomplished as they continue to further their education and training post-graduation. We wish them all the best as they prepare for their lifelong careers.”

In a style similar to “National Signing Day” events for high school student athletes, three Central Tech Construction Trade students were recognized as they signed their “letters of intent” for a job offer, apprenticeship or advanced technical training. Tyler Wayland of Bristow, Ben Burris of Cushing and Zach Ackart of Cleveland were celebrated among future employers, school administrators, teachers, SkillsUSA advisors, family and friends, as they take the next step in their education in construction trades.

“This was an exciting day for our students as they committed to careers in the skilled trades,” says David Baugus, Construction Trades Instructor and SkillsUSA advisor at Central Tech. “These seniors have worked hard over the past two years to prepare for this next chapter of their life. Through their education, our seniors understand the hard work needed to be successful in the trade. This recognition is very well deserved to each and every one of them.”

“The first National Signing Day was a success thanks to Central Tech and its students,” says Mark Klein, co-president of Klein Tools. “Best of luck to these students as they enter the skilled trades to start their careers with their first pair of Klein Tools pliers.”

Wayland and Burris have accepted internships at Crossland Construction, and Ackart has accepted a position at Pawnee Millworks in Pawnee, Okla.

Construction trades is one of 28 full-time programs offered at Central Tech. Full-time classes provide progress-based instruction and are designed for students seeking career or technical training.

Photo 1: (L to R, back row) David Baugus, Central Tech Construction Trades Instructor, Jack Hopper, Crossland Construction Representative, and Jeremy Sheets, Central Tech Construction Trades Assistant, celebrate (L to R, Front Row) Ben Burris and Tyler Wayland as they sign a letter of intent to close the skills gap. Central Tech partnered with SkillsUSA and Klein Tools to highlight seniors who have committed to a job in the Construction Trades industry.

Photo 2: (L to R, back row) David Baugus, Central Tech Construction Trades Instructor, Heather Higgins, Pawnee Millworks Representative, and Jeremy Sheets, Central Tech Construction Trades Assistant, celebrate Zach Ackart as they sign a letter of intent to close the skills gap. Central Tech partnered with SkillsUSA and Klein Tools to highlight seniors who have committed to a job in the Construction Trades industry.

About Klein Tools

Since 1857 Klein Tools, a family-owned and operated company, has been designing, developing and manufacturing premium-quality, professional-grade hand tools.

The majority of Klein tools are manufactured in plants throughout the United States and are the No. 1 choice among professional electricians and other tradespeople. Klein is a registered trademark of Klein Tools, Inc.

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a vital solution to the growing U.S. skills gap. SkillsUSA empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens as it improves the quality of our nation’s future skilled workforce. The nonprofit partnership of students, instructors and industry ensures America has the skilled workforce it needs to stay competitive. SkillsUSA helps every student excel through the development of SkillsUSA Framework skills that include personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics. The association serves more than 360,000-member students and instructors per year in middle schools, high schools and colleges. This diverse talent pipeline covers 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, the majority STEM-related. More than 600 corporations, trade associations, businesses and labor unions actively support SkillsUSA at the national level. Local, state and national championships are designed and judged by industry to set relevant standards for career and technical education and provide recognition opportunities for students. SkillsUSA programs also help to establish industry standards for job skill training in the lab and classroom and promote community service. SkillsUSA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and is cited as a “successful model of employer-driven youth development training program” by the U.S. Department of Labor. SkillsUSA offers technical skill assessments and workplace credentials through the SkillsUSA Career Essentials program, a cutting-edge solution that defines, implements and measures career readiness skills for students.

The Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians has named Medical Assistant Yvon Farmer, of the Mannford Vision Clinic, 2019 Paraoptometric of the Year. 

Paraoptometrics are health professionals who assist optometric physicians in providing health care to patients. The annual award goes to a paraoptometric who displays outstanding professional leadership and service to patients.

As a native of Stillwater, Yvon worked in home health for over 20 years, and then spent time working in other industries before deciding it was time to return to the medical field. Upon making that life-changing decision, Yvon earned her Medical Assistant degree through Central Tech, Drumright, in 2012 and became a licensed phlebotomist. She performed her clinicals at Mannford Vision Clinic where she was offered a full-time job before she graduated. Yvon has now worked at the Mannford Vision Clinic for six years as a technician and compliance officer.

Yvon was also her grandmother’s caretaker and felt she wanted to provide that same type of love and care to others. “I want to take care of people and treat them all like they were my grandparents,” she said, adding that this is how she views every patient she cares for. “It’s a rewarding career,” she said. “Every day there is something new. You have your normal patients and maybe an emergency where you have the opportunity to sooth someone’s anxiety or calm them down.”

She also volunteers with Dr. Barbara Murphy at the Tulsa Day Center for the homeless, and volunteers with Special Olympics Lions Club International Opening Eyes program. Working at the homeless shelter has taught Yvon that homeless people cannot be stereotyped. She believes many people with addictions or mental health issues have nowhere to turn and cannot help themselves. The ability to survive is a heavy enough load. “Don’t judge the book by its cover or even the preface and table of contents,” she said. “That doesn’t give you the whole story or tell you how the book will end.” Her work at the shelter is 100-percent volunteer and she receives no compensation for it. Yvon said the look on a patients’ face after having their vision restored is reward enough.

With the goal of improving lives for others, Yvon enjoys serving as an advisory committee member for Central Tech and as a judge for Health Occupations Education Student Organization (HOSA) contests. When speaking to students, she encourages them to focus not only on progressing in their current area of study, but to also consider where their future career path can take them. She relates that half the time she barely had enough gas money to get to school, but she did not give up and is reaping the reward for her determination.

Yvon also shared that returning to a learning environment as an adult was accompanied by anxiety and insecurities that were hard to overcome.  Persistence despite her fears resulted in good grades and a deep appreciation for the education she was investing in out of her own pocket.

Yvon completed Medical Assisting with honors as part of the National Technical Honor Society and was also involved in the HOSA. “Central Tech gave me the opportunity to better myself in my career,” she said. “Tech was a vital part of giving me the tools I needed to succeed. My instructor, Mrs. Silkwood was able to teach what it’s like to work in the industry because or her experience in the field. Tech offered me a shorter time to a career and the ability to reach my goals. Remember… you can do it, and you’re not alone. Through class and HOSA you make many friends and contacts that support you through school and beyond.”

For some people, retirement is the time to enjoy the spoils of a lifetime of work.

It’s the time to buy an RV and travel across the country, to take up a new hobby or to re-connect with family.

MonyaMarie Black, a 64-year-old Central Tech Construction Trades student, has something else in mind. Her story began in New York City.

“Before I retired two years ago, I taught low-income women how to build furniture in their apartments.” A little help and a lot of ambition allowed her to start making a difference in her city. “I met one gentleman when I first got to New York; he was an architect,” said Black. “Every once in a while I would ask him a question. Other than that, I was self-taught.”

Nearly 30 years later, Black has been retired for two years. She decided that now is the best time to pursue something bigger. Following a friend’s intuition, she and a group of families headed west and wound up in Oklahoma.“I’ve been working since I was 16, but now I have the opportunity,” she said. “Here we are 20, 30 years later and I have the opportunity to learn to do it right.”

Her first step was enrolling in Central Tech’s Construction Trades class. “It’s been a great experience to learn from professionals, and I like how hands-on it is,” said Black. “We get to spend a lot of time in the class learning about OSHA and using all the equipment.”

After learning the basics, the class spends most of their course term at a construction site, building a house from the ground-up. “It’s been interesting coming to school with high school students; most of these guys are younger than my adult children,” said Black. “They’re very respectful and very helpful, but they also let me do the work even though I may have to waddle to do it because the tool belt weighs more than me!”

Black plans to return next year to finish the two-year program, and she already has plans for when she graduates. “My ultimate goal is to relocate to Jamaica and work with the underserved population there in the country, she said.”

Part of her inspiration came from her pastor, who moved back to her home in Jamaica to use her counseling experience. Black has her own reasons for going to Jamaica.

One of the main projects she plans to start is building houses for prison detention officers. “They do a terrifying job because they don’t have weapons,” said Black. “They go in and are responsible for 110 inmates with sometimes only a radio to call for help. I would like to build something where they could come to Jamaica and enjoy being in the country or being in that natural environment on their salary.”

Even now when Black is in school learning a new trade, her mind is still focused on how to make an impact on her surroundings. “It’ll be about five years before I go to Jamaica,” said Black. “I would love to come up with a program (while I’m here) where we’re not just building one house, but actually having many construction projects around the community. There are a lot of houses that can be fixed up here.”

Behind all of her ambition are inspiring, selfless core values that would benefit anyone looking for more out of life. “I want to be firm, fair and consistent,” she said. “It’s always about communication and accuracy, because I think that’s sorely missing, and a good sense of humor; I’ve got to be able to laugh at myself.”

“Shortly after high school there was a lady who bagged groceries at a store near where I worked,” said Cole Reece, a Practical Nursing student at Central Tech.

“One day, on her way home from work, she was crossing the street and got hit by a car. Nobody could help and it seemed like it took forever for the fire department to show up; so I went out there and helped drag her out from under the car. I helped her out until the ambulance got there, and I thought ‘I could do this.’”

So, he did. Reece’s path to Central Tech hasn’t been a short one, but his start in the medical field came early when he joined the Army.

“My dad served in Vietnam and my grandfather served in World War II, so I kinda felt a sense of duty.”

Reece spent eight years in the Army as a medic and flight medic, and after deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, he decided to separate from the military and pursue nursing. At the time, he was living in Tennessee and one of Central Tech’s veteran’s programs pushed him to make the move to Oklahoma.

“Central Tech takes part in a military medic to nursing program. They give you more credit for your military experience, so I decided to move out here this summer.”

He started the Practical Nursing program in September and, in a class with a 12 to 15-month average completion time, graduated in only five months. Part of that fast pace is due to his solid military foundation.

“It helps a lot in the clinical aspect. We got to treat and take care of a lot of different patients, from kids all the way up to geriatric patients.”

His pace is also driven by the help he gets in and out of the classroom.

“Everybody seems really willing to help you any chance they can. Whether it’s the admin with financial aid or teachers in the class; other programs I’ve seen are more sink-or-swim,” said Reece. “You know, I’m 36. But they give me the opportunity to get this done quicker and move on and get to my ultimate goal sooner.”

Even outside the nursing aspect of his education, Reece feels like he’s being prepared for a future after Central Tech.

“The last portion of our nursing program is building a resume and dealing with job interviews. Instead of just giving me a degree and kicking me out the door, all the steps are in place to put me into a job.”

Reece already has multiple job offers. His immediate plans are to work part-time as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) while continuing his education in registered nurse (RN) school.

Oklahoma has a skills gap; CareerTech has a solution.

STILLWATER, Okla. – A $21 million increase in funding would allow the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education to expand programming to fill Oklahoma’s skills gap.

ODCTE’s state appropriations request for fiscal year 2020 for the first regular session of the 57th Oklahoma Legislature targets narrowing Oklahoma’s skills gap through the proposed increase of $21 million that would allow CareerTech to achieve the following:

• Fund more than 130 unfunded programs and provide for 90 new programs to be added to K-12 CareerTech offerings.
• Add 12 new programs in state correctional facilities that would serve 500 to 600 more inmates.
• Increase Training for Industry Programs by 10 percent to more than 3,200 enrollments.
• Increase customized training by 10 percent to almost 300,000 enrollments.
• Increase certifications/credentials annually by 5 percent, adding almost 2,400 more during three years.

“Oklahoma has a skills gap, and CareerTech has a solution,” said Marcie Mack, ODCTE state director. “Investing in CareerTech will produce more skilled workers for existing, unfilled Oklahoma jobs. It will invigorate program offerings in our K-12 schools and technology centers. It powers training programs for Oklahoma businesses, and it gives our incarcerated students a second chance at life.”

As a part of the appropriations request, $11.8 million would go toward paying the state’s obligation to fund the required health benefit allowance. If the state funds the current requirement, Mack said, it will immediately free up that amount to be redirected to CareerTech classrooms.

The appropriations request seeks a 14.8 percent increase over the FY19 budget of $120.4 million. While funds did increase in FY19 from FY18 levels, in the last 10 years Oklahoma CareerTech education has seen an overall reduction in general appropriations by 28 percent.

Industry leaders from across sectors that provide significant impact to Oklahoma’s economy emphasized the need to increase investments in career-ready education as a primary component of moving Oklahoma forward.

“The strongest pipeline to meet the demand in the agriculture industry is through CareerTech agricultural education and the FFA,” said Brent Kisling, Enid Regional Development Alliance executive director. “This investment in agricultural education, as well as other K-12 CareerTech programs would provide direct funding to classroom resources.

“I truly have never seen a more valuable program than Oklahoma FFA when it comes to instilling leadership and work ethic in our youth. CareerTech student organizations across the board add the workplace elements that help to make students successful. These programs are vital to training future generations.”

CareerTech’s skills gap solutions also help attract new businesses to the state and help existing businesses expand. In 2018 the CareerTech System served more than 6,900 companies, helping their employees gain new skills and adding new jobs to the Oklahoma economy.

“Solving the skills gap is at the forefront of an economic transformation pushing our state forward. CareerTech and their capabilities in upskilling workers, customizing training for industry and growing a pipeline of skilled workers is essential to keeping Oklahoma on the map for expanding and attracting companies to the state,” said David Stewart, chief administrative officer for MidAmerica Industrial Park and member of the State Board of Career and Technology Education.

Michael Culwell, campus director in Poteau at Kiamichi Technology Centers and president of the Oklahoma Association for Career and Technology Education, said, “Programs like welding technology, which give our students a high-quality wage for construction and manufacturing jobs that are in high demand in our area, should be expanded. The value of these programs and other CareerTech industry training programs are a priority to keeping Oklahoma’s future bright.”

Other items in the 2020 agenda include enriching work-based learning experiences, expanding professional development for CareerTech professionals and deploying new technology for career awareness. For an itemized list of all FY20 funding requests view the business plan and annual report for FY18 details.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA’S CAREERTECH SYSTEM

Oklahoma’s Career and Technology Education System is focused on developing a world-class workforce. This comprehensive system delivers educational experiences through 393 K-12 school districts, 29 technology center districts, 16 Skills Centers sites and 31 adult basic education providers and to more than 6,900 businesses.

CareerTech’s mission is clear: to improve Oklahoma’s economy by providing individuals with the training and skills necessary to be successful in the workplace and by providing companies with the required workforce to compete globally. We are faced with a skills gap, and CareerTech has a solution.

For more about CareerTech visit OkCareerTech.org.

INDUSTRY PARTNERS GIVEN TOP AWARDS FROM CAREERTECH

Thousands of workers trained and employed through CareerTech partnerships with industry.

DRUMRIGHT OK – (April 8) The Oklahoma Association for Technology Centers recognized top industry partners for training and employing thousands of Oklahoma workers through CareerTech technology center programs last Wednesday at the annual Partners in Progress awards ceremony.

Central Technology Center selected Kenworth for their commitment to advancing career technical education through utilization of Central Tech’s programs, and through exemplary commitments to workforce excellence and education in the community.

State secretary for commerce, Sean Kouplen, who was on hand to congratulate award recipients said, “Partners in Progress represents a powerful alliance between CareerTech and employers to train Oklahomans and put them to work in quality jobs. Last year alone, almost 7,000 organizations took advantage of CareerTech training resulting in more than 350,000 enrollments statewide. That is a powerful step toward building a top ten state with skilled workers.”

Assistant superintendent for Central Tech, Kent Burris, said, “MHC Kenworth in Tulsa has been a tremendous asset to Central Tech as they have awarded sponsorships and jobs to many of our diesel students, in addition to, serving on our advisory board for diesel technology.”

Central Tech congratulates Kenworth and thanks them for elevating our students’ futures one job and one graduate at a time.

Pictured from L to R: Representative Ty Burns, Kent Burris, Ryan Wallace, Dennis Adamson, Earl Elliott, Senator Tom Dugger, Skye McNeil.

 

Oklahoma CareerTech State Director Marcie Mack has been elected secretary/treasurer of Advance CTE.

Mack will serve a one-year term through June 30, 2019, on the board of the national nonprofit organization. Advance CTE represents state directors and state leaders responsible for secondary, postsecondary and adult career and technology education across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Members of the executive committee are elected by the Advance CTE membership…

 

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Central Tech’s Surgical Technology program graduated seven students in ceremonies on Thursday, June 21 at the Drumright campus.  Last year’s graduates earned a 100% pass rate on their certification test from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA).

Graduating students Leah Hutchcraft of Sapulpa, Savannah Dry of Bristow, Alicia Carr-Rains of Kiefer, Carly Thompson of Cushing, Morgynn McCurry of Cleveland, Cory Sadler of Ripley and Braylee Dean of Milfay.

Students in the Surgical Technology program graduate with knowledge and skills needed to function as a member of the surgical team, deliver patient care, and assume appropriate responsibilities before, during and after surgery. Central Tech students’ average starting salary is $17.10 an hour with the ability to increase as they gain experience. Congratulations to all our students!

To learn more about Central Tech’s Surg Tech program or other classes, please call 918-352-2551.

 

 

 

Central Tech hosted the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM) Recognition Ceremony, May 10, 2018 at the Drumright campus. The ceremony recognized students in the 2017-18 class and welcomed the incoming 2018-19 class.

Students attending the OSSM Regional Center at Central Tech’s Drumright campus have the opportunity to receive the same rigorous curriculum as OSSM main campus students, while retaining the freedom to live at home and stay involved in regular high school activities.

“The OSSM Regional Center at Central Tech celebrates 20 years of providing advanced science and math courses to rural Oklahoma,” said Brandon Bettes, an OSSM instructor. “Congratulations to our current and former students, and we look forward to the OSSM class of 2019!”

The mission of the OSSM is to foster the educational development of Oklahoma high school students who are talented in science and mathematics, and show promise of exceptional development emphasizing instruction in both.