Pontotoc Tech TANF partnership changing lives
A new Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program at Pontotoc Technology Center is helping six area first responders get advanced medical training.
A partnership among PTC, Work Ready Ada and TANF funding pathways allowed Hughes County Emergency Medical Services and Community EMS emergency medical personnel to enroll in PTC’s advanced emergency medical technician program. The initiative is helping the first responders and also residents in the rural service area who will have more access to life-saving care.
The TANF initiative also can help participants with gas money, specialized course materials and family supplies like diapers and wipes.
“We work individually with each participant to ask, ‘What is standing between you and your next step, and how can we help?’” said Kendra Waldrop, TANF training navigator at PTC.
Read more on the PTC website.
Kiamichi Tech breaks ground on welding center
Kiamichi Technology Centers recently began building a new welding systems training center on its Atoka campus.
The new center, expected to be completed in fall 2027, will give students more instructional space. It will include larger welding booths and more hands-on work areas.
“Welding continues to be one of the most in-demand skilled trades in our area,” said Greg Davidson, director of facility management and development at Kiamichi Tech. “This project creates more opportunities for students to develop advanced skills in a modern training environment while helping local manufacturers and welding shops build the workforce they need for the future.”
Read more on the KTC website.
CareerTech director talks about workforce challenges
Oklahoma CareerTech Director Brent Haken, along with Oklahoma Workforce Commission Interim Director Melissa Houston and Oklahoma State Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs Adam Maxey, talked with Fox 23 in Tulsa about challenges Oklahoma employers face in finding and keeping workers with the right skills.
Haken told the news station that CareerTech works with employers and other state agencies to build programs to fill local needs. Last year, the CareerTech system worked with more than 11,000 businesses to develop workers, he said.
Over the last three years, he added, CareerTech has seen a 25% increase in full-time postsecondary enrollment.
Read more on the Fox 23 website.
OG&E, Francis Tuttle partnership helps students
Francis Tuttle Technology Center’s internship program with OG&E has given 22 students opportunities to gain real-world experience and explore energy careers since it launched in 2023.
The program has hosted 13 mechatronics students, two automotive service technology students and seven cybersecurity and network support students; six have gone on to full-time jobs at OG&E, according to OK Energy Today.
“Our partnership with OG&E gives students the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom in a professional setting and see where their skills can take them,” Francis Tuttle Superintendent Michelle Keylon, told the publication.
The interns are just some of the workers OG&E is highlighting during Careers in Energy Week.
Read more on the OK Energy Today website.
Useful links
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State Agency Assistance at a Glance
National Research Center for Career and Technical Education
OK Career Guide Training Opportunities
You’re blessed if you have the strength to work. - Mahalia Jackson
