Oklahoma SkillsUSA students win at national conference
Oklahoma SkillsUSA students brought home 22 gold medals from the 60th National Leadership and Skills Conference, putting the Oklahoma contingent in second place in the country for medal recipients.
Oklahoma took a contingent of 412 advisers and students to the conference in Atlanta, Georgia, which drew more than 17,500 people from across the country. The 262 students competed in 89 different contests, earning 22 gold medals, 34 silver medals and 17 bronze medals.
“SkillsUSA Oklahoma continues to display the outstanding talent and dedication of its students, advisers and administrators in trade and industry education through the impressive showing at the National Leadership and Skills Conference,” said Kendra Alcala, state SkillsUSA adviser with Oklahoma CareerTech. “We are incredibly proud of the hard work, time and dedication our members have put in to represent Oklahoma at the national level and for coming back as the second highest medaling state in the nation.”
Read more on the Oklahoma CareerTech website.
Pontotoc Tech launches employment center
Pontotoc Technology Center in Ada has launched a $7.5 million workforce development program funded over five years by Oklahoma Human Services as part of the Work Ready Oklahoma program.
It will offer workshops designed for low-income individuals and families; historically unemployed or underemployed groups; low-skilled workers; and individuals with criminal backgrounds.
Pontotoc Tech intends to serve at least 75 community members in the first year. Recruitment is slated to begin in August, with services starting in September.
Read more on The Ada News website.
Moore Norman Tech opens public safety training center
Moore Norman Technology Center has opened a new indoor/outdoor public safety training facility.
The facility, which will house the tech center’s basic peace officer training, includes a CLEET approved firing range. Previously, many Oklahoma City area law enforcement agencies had to travel to CLEET headquarters in Ada for training, according to News 9.
The center also has space for cadets to learn driving skills.
Read more on the News 9 website.
Autry Tech works with local theater
Autry Technology Center is working with Gaslight Theatre to offer acting and theater classes.
“This collaboration represents our commitment to providing diverse learning opportunities that cater to the needs and interests of our community,” Ryan Zaloudek, workforce development training specialist at Autry Tech, said.
The classes continue a partnership that has included Autry Tech culinary arts students providing hors d’oeuvres on opening nights at the theater and graphic arts students redesigning the Gaslight logo.
Read more on the Enid News & Eagle website.
Northeast Tech students to build aircraft
Students at Northeast Technology Center’s Afton campus will spend the next two years building an FAA-certified airplane.
The program will include technical and mechanical skills, fundamentals and mechanics of aircraft and avionics equipment, aviation maintenance and inspection, and aircraft structure and assembly, according to an article by KSNF in Joplin, Missouri.
Northeast Tech is working with Tango Flight, a nonprofit that teaches students to become engineers, pilots, aviation mechanics and technicians.
Read more on the KSNF website.
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