Southern Tech cuts ribbon on aviation maintenance building
Southern Technology Center recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new aviation maintenance building.
The facility will house a program allowing students to earn aviation maintenance technician licenses. It will also allow Southern Tech to create aerospace courses to provide employees to current and potential businesses, said Eddie Compton, Oklahoma CareerTech aerospace/defense industry liaison.
“Southern Tech’s vision is to be the premier technology center that develops a modern, highly skilled, efficiently trained workforce to close the national skills gap. The aviation building will provide yet another opportunity to prepare students in southern Oklahoma for successful careers that currently exist in aviation and for those careers that don’t even exist yet,” Superintendent Eric Ward said at the ceremony.
Read more on The Ardmoreite website.
CareerTech town hall meeting planned in Beaver County
A town hall meeting Nov. 29 in Beaver County will focus on High Plains Technology Center and the vote on a proposed annexation into the High Plains district.
Voters in Beaver County will vote Jan. 9 on whether or not the four school districts in the county will join the High Plains Technology Center district. If approved, classes would begin next fall, using existing infrastructure in Balko, Beaver, Forgan and Turpin.
For more information about the town hall meeting, visit the KSCB News website.
CareerTech Champion: Dennis Lumley, CareerTech Skills Centers
Dennis Lumley just might appreciate his summer vacation more than some people. That’s because the Tulsa welder had to prioritize a few other things before an annual vacation could fit into his budget or his life.
Lumley had completed two semesters at Eastern Oklahoma State College when he got into some trouble and wound up in the Oklahoma State Reformatory in Granite, Oklahoma. With his college plans on hold, he decided to enroll in Oklahoma CareerTech’s welding program at the Granite Skills Center. He had always wanted to try his hand at welding, and now he had plenty of time to learn.
It wasn’t the career path he’d originally planned for himself, but Lumley said his welding training allowed him to earn a decent living wage after he was released.
Read more on the Oklahoma CareerTech website.
Four Oklahomans among ACTE award finalists
Four Oklahomans are finalists for ACTE Excellence Awards, which will be presented at an awards gala during ACTE’s CareerTech Vision Nov. 29-Dec. 2.
Finalists are Karen Upton, Teacher of the Year, Metro Technology Centers; Robby Branscum, Carl Perkins Community Service, Stillwater Public Schools; Bonner Slayton, Teacher Educator of the Year, Moore Norman Technology Center; and Nina Morgan, Lifetime Achievement Award, Kiamichi Technology Centers (retired).
The four received Oklahoma awards at the 2022 Oklahoma Summit before becoming Region IV finalists for the national awards.
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State Agency Assistance at a Glance
National Research Center for Career and Technical Education
OK Career Guide Training Opportunities
There is no finish line to leadership. -- Julia Hartz
