By Cindy Allen
Managing Editor
Enid News and Eagle
Reprinted with permission
© March 15, 2007
CareerTech administrators and their supporters from across Oklahoma gathered
at the state Capitol Wednesday to remind legislators of the vital role
technology centers play in economic development.
 About 150 people, including a contingent of Enid business leaders and Autry
Technology Center staff members, gathered for the annual Business and Industry
Day at the Capitol. The event is held to bring awareness about how important
CareerTech centers are to businesses in the state. The group lobbies legislators
to keep funding in place and also to add additional funding to their centers.
John Carnuccio, vice president of International Environmental Systems,
gave a testimonial to legislators about how important CareerTech centers
have been to the expansion of his business.
IES is an Oklahoma City manufacturer of HVAC equipment for high-end hotels
and resorts across the United States. He said after the initial downturn
in tourism after Sept. 11, 2001, business really started to pick back up
in 2005.
In 2006, the tourism industry has “exploded,” and there is
a lot of construction of new resorts and hotels. He has had to expand his
employment base and business to keep up with the demand. CareerTech centers
have been vital in providing the needed training.
“There’s been a huge boom in commercial construction,” he
said. “We’ve had to ramp up.”
Carnuccio said CareerTech training is more important than ever as Oklahoma
faces a shortage of workers due to the low unemployment rate.
“Everybody is trying to add people and grow,” he said.
He also pointed out despite high-profile losses of major manufacturers,
like GM and Dayton Tire, Oklahoma has added 4,000 manufacturing jobs.
Phil Berkenbile, director of Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology
Education, said demand for CareerTech services is continuing to grow. He
pointed out centers soon will be required to provide biotech training.
He also said although Oklahoma’s CareerTech system is considered
to be one of the best in the nation, CareerTech centers still face an image
problem. Many people still think of CareerTech in the old vocational technology
terms. He also said many people don’t understand the alternative
CareerTech centers provide to college training.
What CareerTech centers are doing now is more high tech than ever before
and is an attractive and affordable educational alternative for people
seeking opportunity, he said.
“We’ve got to convince people we are there for all people,” he
said.
The group later broke out to visit with their individual representatives
about four main areas of concern to CareerTech.
First, they urged legislators to protect the ad valorem tax base for
technology centers and common schools. Second, they requested supplemental
appropriations to pay for the under-funded mandates passed in the last
legislative session. Third, they encouraged support for the Oklahoma
Department of Career and Technology Education’s fiscal year 2008
budget request, and, fourth, they requested continued funding to assist
in Industry Specific Training and Training for Industry Projects.
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