Editorial

By Phil Berkenbile, Ed.D.
State Director of Career and Technology Education

As we begin a new fiscal year, Oklahoma’s CareerTech system looks to the future with optimism by building on strong programs and working to develop new models for student success.

Our staff at the state office in Stillwater is working on a new strategic plan. This plan will help us improve upon what we have been doing and implement new initiatives to strengthen the state’s economy and enhance quality of life. We are gathering input from throughout the state and working closely with our customers to make sure we are headed in the right direction.

While we are gaining momentum to move forward, we also are reflecting on the impact CareerTech has had recently on companies and people throughout this great state.

Just this month, Dell Inc. announced it is locating a sales center in Oklahoma, which will create a minimum of 250 new jobs. CareerTech worked closely with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and other state agencies to support Dell’s decision. We are working with the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission to assist in Dell’s hiring process. Through our Training for Industry Program (TIP) we will provide startup training and management internships. We also will assist with ongoing training and provide training facilities. This is just one example of how CareerTech plays a major role in attracting new businesses to Oklahoma and serves as the training “arm” for many Oklahoma companies.

In May, a delegation of educators from New Mexico came to look at our state’s CareerTech system because they wanted to “see a system that had been proven effective over the years.” They plan to use our system as a benchmark when they design their own career and technical education centers. Several times a year, groups from across the United States and other countries visit us to learn about Oklahoma’s delivery of CareerTech education. Oklahomans can be proud of “their” CareerTech system.

CareerTech’s close relationship with business and industry, K-12 and higher education helps ensure that we will have the kind of workforce needed for the future. That is one of the reasons pre-engineering academies are growing at Oklahoma’s technology centers. Last year was the first year such academies were offered. During the 2004-2005 school year, five technology centers will partner with the National Alliance for Pre-Engineering Programs, to start students on the career path to engineering. Their goal is to help students succeed in baccalaureate-level engineering programs and postsecondary engineering technology programs as well as create more interest in the field of engineering as a career.

This past year our high school programs have grown at a record pace with enrollments totaling 136,453. This figure reflects 5,000 more enrollments than the previous year and a 13 percent increase over a four-year period. Students in these programs participate in hands-on learning to explore and experience potential careers. Through affiliated CareerTech student organizations, students also learn life skills and other valuable skills such as public speaking, leadership and teamwork to help better prepare them for further education and careers.

We also have taken steps to establish greater accountability and to use our resources more effectively. The State Board of Career and Technology Education adopted strategies to address accountability and ethics such as random audits of technology centers and guidelines for “live work” projects (applied learning) completed by students. The board also adopted guidelines for all technology centers to use in creating their own codes of ethics. Their codes will guide the technology centers’ policies and procedures and be used in the accreditation process.

The focus of our work is to serve our customers. We are dedicated to the Oklahoma companies and students we serve. Our ultimate goal is to work with all Oklahomans to help them succeed in the workplace, in education and in life.