CareerTech Videos

CareerTech, in partnership with Oklahoma higher education and workforce partners, implemented the Teaching to Teach Apprenticeship Program this semester, aiming to change the lives of more than 80 professionals already working in Oklahoma schools.

The Teaching to Teach Apprenticeship Program is a strategic initiative designed to prepare work-ready teachers through existing employment at an eligible school district, technology center, or early learning center, aiming to increase the number of certified teachers and address education workforce shortages. A partnership between Oklahoma CareerTech and the Regional University System of Oklahoma (RUSO), the Teaching to Teach Apprenticeship Program will provide eligible participants with a scholarship. By participating as an apprentice in the Teaching to Teach Apprenticeship Program, apprentices complete education training from one of the six regional universities and complete on-the-job training under a mentor at their school district, technology center, or early learning center.

Upon graduating high school in 2021, Cavin Pugh didn’t enter directly into an educational path. But when life changed with the birth of his son, Pugh remembered a high school tour he had taken at Mid-Del Technology Center.

Fast forward to now: Pugh is a MDTC plumbing graduate working full time in the field as an apprentice. His story is one of not just apprenticeship — but mentorship afforded by a Mid-Del instructor — and a changed trajectory by being part of the Oklahoma CareerTech system.

Eighteen-year-old Nathaniel Green may have just graduated high school, but welding skills learned at Mid-Del Tech already equip him to work part-time at an OKC-area fabricator.

Balancing the rigors of classes at MDTC with his job at B&H Industrial, the welding trade has clearly become a lifestyle for Green — one he plans to stick with as he continues into an official work-based learning schedule this winter.

Tonya Conley and Angela Hetherington stay on the front lines of patient care at Rural Wellness Fairfax. Many years into their careers, they credit the radiology training received at Meridian Technology Center, which prepared them for an in-demand medical profession with a great work-life balance.

With increasing interest from local school districts, CareerTech technology centers now provide access to workforce training and development in every corner of our state. The annexation process creates a pathway for school districts to partner with a local technology center. In turn, tech centers provide low- and no-cost programs for high schoolers, customized workforce training for local industry, and adult special interest classes. As Oklahoma's Workforce Leader, this is how we expand access to a better life for every Oklahoman.

For questions about annexation, contact Gina Hubbard, Director of Statewide Outreach: gina.hubbard@careertech.ok.gov

LouAnn Lively and her daughter Blaklyn Geiger left their healthcare professions for the classroom — their forays into teaching separated by two decades. They teach health science classes at Durant High School, utilizing the newest generation of anatomy and physiology teaching tools: Anatomage tables. Durant High School boasts six, four-person teams that compete in Anatomage tournaments, the best of which vie for a spot at nationals. Please reach out to CareerTech’s Oklahoma HOSA State Advisor Amy Warner regarding your school’s involvement in opportunities at the state and national level.

CareerTech students united at CentralTech in late March for a celebration of STEM student organization accomplishments. The awards ceremony, attended and sponsored by private industry and military leaders and advocates, highlighted statewide growth and participation of students charting their way to in-demand careers related to civil and military aerospace and cybersecurity. 

StellarXplorers – Created by the Air & Space Forces Association (AFA), inspires high school and middle school students toward careers in space, aviation, and other science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines critical to our nation’s future.

CyberPatriot --  The National Youth Cyber Education Program is STEM program of the Air & Space Forces Association.  It was created to inspire K-12 students toward careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our nation's future.

Oklahoma Cup -- An Oklahoma invitational contest that is very similar in style to the AFA CyberPatriot competition. The emphasis of the Oklahoma Cup is to give teams extra competition and training in the field of cybersecurity. Each round of the Oklahoma Cup will have teams fixing flaws, securing settings, cleaning up malware, and answering forensic questions. Each round will include virtual machine images of Windows Desktop, Windows Server, Linux Desktop, and Cisco Packet tracers. Teams may contain between 2 and 6 members. There will be a two-day window available for each round that teams can choose when to compete in. The images will have a timer allowing the teams to advance as far as they can in a three-hour window. 

Following a lapse in corporate sponsorship, Tulsa Tech's high school aviation maintenance team was at risk of not being able to attend the 2025 MRO Americas competition after earning high honors last year. But then, the STEAM Catapult Fund stepped in.

The non-profit, categorized as an Education Improvement Granting Organization, is authorized to disperse funds to certain K-12 education programs. These funds come from voluntary designations made by taxpayers, both private and corporate, to directly benefit causes they support, such as aerospace education.

Leaders of CareerTech's student organizations -- FFA, FCCLA, TSA, HOSA, BPA, SkillsUSA and DECA -- had their day at the Oklahoma state Capitol. They spoke with lawmakers, learned about the legislature and received recognition from the floor.

Gov. Kevin Stitt recently issued a proclamation declaring February to be Career and Technical Education Appreciation Month in Oklahoma.

CareerTech State Director Brent Haken said CTE Month is an opportunity to reflect on the critical role CareerTech plays in transforming lives through education and workforce development.

CareerTech doesn't just train workers it transforms lives and builds stronger businesses in Oklahoma year after year.

Find out how a little grit, determination and hope can change the trajectory of a young person's life.

Oklahoma CareerTech Executive Director Brent Haken explains how CareerTech is a viable alternative to college.

Oklahoma CareerTech Director Brent Haken explains how the Graduation Act of 2024 is a massive benefit for CareerTech.

Oklahoma CareerTech Director Brent Haken discusses how CareerTech has become a larger and larger presence in Oklahoma schools.

Oklahoma CareerTech Executive Director Brent Haken talks about what CareerTech is doing to prepare students for the careers of the future, including those that will deal with artificial intelligence.

Oklahoma CareerTech Executive Director Brent Haken spoke at length on how the needs of the state's workforce help shape CareerTech's curriculum.

Oklahoma CareerTech Executive Director Brent Haken talks about CareerTech's significant growth.

Oklahoma CareerTech Executive Director Brent Haken discusses how prison inmates can gain certifications that will help them obtain work after they leave prison.

Oklahoma CareerTech Executive Director Brent Haken explains how CareerTech gives students the skills they need to have successful careers.

TSA State Competition Reel - Spring 2024

We caught up with Oklahoma family and consumer sciences instructors at SUMMIT, CareerTech’s annual summer conference, to ask them what fuels their passions as FCS educators.

We caught up with Oklahoma family and consumer sciences instructors at SUMMIT, CareerTech’s annual summer conference, to ask them what fuels their passions as FCS educators.

CareerTech is helping students create their futures through hands-on technical training that builds skills.

A crop of ten Putnam City aviation students graduated a summer aircraft maintenance internship on August 8 at AAR Airframe MRO. The internship, co-sponsored by Oklahoma CareerTech, Express Employment Professionals, AAR Airframe MRO, and their related non-profit curriculum provider Choose Aerospace, dovetails with maintenance training they received throughout the regular high school academic year. More than a summer job, the internship sets students on course to fill high-earning, in-demand jobs after graduating high school.

If you're looking for a unique learning opportunity at your school or tech center, CareerTech's Mobile Meat Processing Laboratory is available to you. Recently, Justin Siler, Adult & Career Development Coordinator, showed its features to a group of Oklahoma FFA instructors.

Members of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America this week elected Brandon Weibel of Silo, Oklahoma, as their national president for 2024-2025 during the National Leadership Conference in Seattle, Washington. FCCLA is a CareerTech student organization, and we congratulate Brandon and Oklahoma FCCLA on this high honor. We caught up with Brandon earlier this year ahead of the state FCCLA conference, and he testified to FCCLA’s impact on his life and career aspirations.

Jozie Baugh says she struggled with anxiety in large groups of people and lacked marketable job skills. But her decision to enroll in a CareerTech Skills Center program means she’ll leave prison with social skills, numerous certifications, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Technology Student Association members from across the state gathered April 16 at Moore Norman Technology Center for the VEX Robotics competition. These competitions are designed to foster collegiality among students with a broad interest in STEM education and careers.

Oklahoma's Family, Career and Community Leaders of America state student organization conferred the title of honorary member to CareerTech State Director Brent Haken during its annual leadership conference April 11, 2024, in Tulsa.

Family and Consumer Sciences students and advisers from across Oklahoma gathered in Tulsa April 11 for the annual Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) state leadership conference.

Better Butter, led by former state and national officer Zeb Kelly, was one of several workshops provided to students. Armed with Mason jars and heavy cream, students acquired an easy, tasty, and fun skill.

Did you know CareerTech is an integral part of inmate education through our Skills Centers division? Our communications and marketing team recently received access to three of our 16 Skills Centers sites. This video is a first look into a broader project about the tremendous impact of these programs.

The CareerTech Skills Centers School System is a division of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. Skills Centers specialize in the delivery of career and technology education to inmates under the supervision of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and juveniles under the supervision of the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs. The Skills Centers division is also responsible for the state's secondary dropout recovery initiatives.

Oklahoma CareerTech stands at the forefront of workforce training, providing skills employers need.

Making it Work Day celebrates Oklahomans who changed their lives after facing adversity, and the teachers, administrators, and businesses who helped make that change possible.

Leaders of CareerTech's student organizations, including FFA, FCCLA, TSA, HOSA, BPA, Skills USA, and DECA had their day at the Oklahoma state capitol. They spoke with lawmakers and learned a lot about their state legislature.

As Oklahoma garners attention for hit shows and Oscar-worthy feature films, our film industry has perhaps never shined brighter on the national stage. It takes a trained workforce to power an industry, so CareerTech has stepped up statewide efforts to deliver training that puts students in front of filmmaking professionals.

Industry partners from the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance and CareerTech instructors convened November 14 at Ditch Witch/TORO's home office and manufacturing plant in Perry for a day of learning and collaboration.

OMA partners and CareerTech instructors discussed the prevalence of STEM in middle and high school curriculums as integral to a qualified manufacturing workforce.

Oklahoma CareerTech, Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, and Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services are partnered under the national Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act with a common goal to streamline the delivery of state workforce resources to every Oklahoman.