TechCAP Prepares Leaders for Future

By Ann Houston
Oklahoma Department of CareerTech

In the next few years, many administrators in the CareerTech system will be retiring.

In response to this issue, the Technology Center Administrator Program sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education was launched two years ago.

Program coordinator LaMecia Stidham said the program was designed to prepare people to step into those roles. Stidham is a technology center field service coordinator at the state CareerTech agency.

“TechCAP provides an in-depth look into ‘survival skills’ for specific technology center administrator-related tasks,” Stidham said. “This program is the capstone to our other statewide leadership development programs.”

The program kicked off at the state CareerTech department in Stillwater in August and ended May 12.

In addition to one-on-one time with local technology center superintendents were sessions on all aspects of the CareerTech technology centers system including finance, the system’s history and philosophy, and innovations. Local, state and national perspectives were highlighted.

Sessions were held at several of the state's 56 technology center campuses

LaMecia Stidham LaMecia Stidiam

Phil Berkenbile, Oklahoma’s state CareerTech director, said programs such as TechCAP are critical to the system’s continued success.

"If we are to build on the reputation of this system as one of the nation’s finest, we must prepare our teachers and administrators with the skills they need to succeed as our future leaders,” Berkenbile said.