CareerTech celebrates Careers in Construction Month
More than 5 million people work in construction in the United States, but the construction industry will need 1 million new craft professionals by 2023. Oklahoma will need more than 112,000 new construction professionals by 2022.
Oklahoma CareerTech is working to fill that gap with construction trades training and education at 58 technology center campuses statewide and at its skills centers.
Careers in Construction Month showcases the career fields in construction, and Oklahoma CareerTech can help interested individuals map their paths to success in the field.
Oklahoma CareerTech offers education in carpentry, masonry, HVAC, plumbing, electrical work, heavy equipment operation, cabinetmaking and computer-aided design and drafting at technology centers and skills centers.
The system’s construction trades programs are celebrating the national Careers in Construction Month in October, and Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed a proclamation declaring that October is Careers in Construction Month in Oklahoma.
Careers in Construction Month was founded by the National Center for Construction Education and Research and Build Your Future to increase public awareness and inspire the next generation of construction craft professionals.
For more information about CareerTech’s construction trades programs, go to https://www.okcareertech.org/educators/career-clusters/architecture-and-construction or visit your local technology center.
CareerTech Horizon podcast discusses Skills to Rebuild
In an episode released last week, CareerTech Horizon takes listeners inside Tri County Technology Center in Bartlesville to see its reopening with a new program for students. Tri County’s programs is designed to get students career-ready in as little as two months. Find out more about the program at https://tricountytech.edu/adult/skills/.
You can follow CareerTech Horizon on Twitter @CT_Horizon or on Facebook or visit the website.
ACTE highlights Francis Tuttle Tech employee
Khaaliq Salim, director of Francis Tuttle Technology Center’s Danforth Campus, is features this month in the Association of Career and Technical Education’s spotlight series on ACTE’s educational institution members.
Salim is in his 13th year at Francis Tuttle and has served in several roles, including infusion instructor, career transitions instructor and assistant instructional director. In 2019, he was promoted to instructional director. The Danforth Campus is scheduled to open in 2021.
To read the spotlight interview, visit ACTE’s website.
BPA, DECA plan virtual Fall Leadership Conference
Oklahoma Business Professionals of America and Oklahoma DECA will share a virtual Fall Leadership Conference Oct. 5.
Members will meet their state officer teams and state executive council, learn more about leadership and hear from Alton Carter, author of “The Boy Who Carried Bricks” and “Aging Out” and founder of the Alton Carter Inspire Foundation, which helps individuals in foster homes, group homes and boys ranches earn college degrees.
CareerTech Champion: Evelyn Morales – Metro Technology Centers and SkillsUSA
THEN: The daughter of immigrants, Evelyn Morales said she wanted to demonstrate the true meaning of serving and protecting her community.
“I want to make a difference in the way justice is served,” she said.
The Northwest Classen High School junior enrolled in the law enforcement education program at Metro Technology Centers and joined SkillsUSA’s Crime Scene Investigation program. There, Morales learned how to find and lift fingerprints and solve crimes.
Morales said the Metro Tech program
- Helped her develop better communication skills.
- Allowed her to earn her unarmed security license and CPR certification.
- Taught her leadership skills.
Those leadership skills have come in handy in her job at Chick-Fil-A, where she said she was recently promoted to team leader.
The multi-talented high school student was also chosen to sing the national anthem at the opening ceremony of SkillsUSA’s national conference in Louisville, Kentucky.
NOW: Morales plans to finish high school this year, but her goals to serve and protect are just getting started. After graduation she plans to go to college and work as a detention officer. From there, she would like to work for the Oklahoma City Police Department, be a patrol officer and work in the K-9 unit.
“Power should not mean corruption,” she said. “As a Latina woman, I want to use strength and humility as a law enforcer.”
“I have matured during the CareerTech experience and learned to look at life in a more passionate way.”
Evelyn Morales, law enforcement student
Useful links
Follow us on Twitter at @okcareertech and find us on Facebook at OklahomaCareerTech and on Instagram at oklahomacareertech and read our blog, Oklahoma CareerTech Delivers. Find our podcast at https://www.cthorizon.org/.
For news about Oklahoma’s CareerTech System, subscribe to CareerTech communications.
Hope is not an emotion; it’s a way of thinking or a cognitive process. – Brené Brown
