• Lean manufacturing
• Programmable Logic Controller training
• Department of Transportation regulations awareness training
• Conversational Spanish

NOW: Committed to providing American-made products, CMW employs more than 1,300 people in Perry, Okla. Financial impacts from the lean initiative are still being measured, but significant improvements in staff efficiency, inventory reduction and plant layout have already been realized.

• Learned about DNA structure, the chemical composition of lipids and proteins and genetics.
• Discovered career fields related to his interests.
• Developed research skills through class work, job shadowing and assistantships.

NOW: A plant and biochemistry major at Oklahoma State University, Ricky is an undergraduate research assistant working on DNA extractions from soil. After graduation, he hopes to enter the medical field to develop medicine from plants to treat cancer.

• Develop healthy and productive staff and employee relationships.
• Provide an opportunity for advancement and leadership.
• Address key leadership issues.

NOW: More than 300 employees from nine companies and businesses have seen significant positive financial impact and improvement of the relationship culture within the employee base. The training program at CVTC has been delivered locally and statewide. LBH has a worldwide audience.

• Learned advanced math and science such as trigonometry, calculus, chemistry and physics.
• Received hands-on training using labs and equipment.
• Developed public speaking skills.
• Realized he wanted to become an engineer.

NOW: While interested in mechanical and chemical engineering, Mitchell is attending Oklahoma State University majoring in electrical engineering. Mitchell will pursue an internship this summer to decide where he wants to work after completing his bachelor’s degree. He says the best thing he did in his high school career was deciding to pursue pre-engineering at KTC.

• Gained in-depth knowledge of the human body, disease mechanisms, major biological themes and mathematical topics.
• Learned the workload involved in the program which was similar to that in a college setting.

NOW: Jordan is a junior at Oklahoma State University majoring in animal science with a biotechnology option. After earning his bachelor’s degree, he plans to obtain a master’s degree in animal nutrition and would like to work in a lab formulating feed rations or working at a cattle feedlot.

• Safety training for CEC employees.
• Training of future CEC employees.
• The opportunity for CKTC students and CEC staff to do a joint radio and web broadcast of the Caddo County basketball tournament.

NOW: With 82 employees and reduced accidents and increased safety because of training delivered by CKTC, Caddo Electric Cooperative continues to support CKTC students through scholarships, employment and youth leadership opportunities that affect the service area.

The Jon H. Poteat scholarships are named in honor and memory of the co-founder of NTHS and are awarded annually to student members who consistently exemplify the seven character attributes of NTHS: Skill, Honesty, Service, Responsibility, Scholarship, Citizenship and Leadership.

Some 125 $1,000 scholarships were awarded this year. You can learn more about the National Technical Honor Society in Oklahoma by visiting okcareertech.org/nths.

For more information about this program go to the Oklahoma Horizon Website.

“Making It Work Day” recognizes individuals who are committed to removing barriers to success for single parent families by providing educational experiences for students beyond the classroom. Special recognition is also given to non-traditional students and members who received acknowledgment for their efforts on a national level.

OKCTEEC is affiliated with the administrative division of the Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education. The council advocates for students pursuing non-traditional careers and the use of resources for the education of single parents.

OKCTEEC also creates linkages between students, educators, community partners, and business/industry leaders.

“Students were recognized for their successful efforts to obtain education, training and employment amid the struggles faced by striving to rise above poverty and overcoming biases,” said Lou Ann Hargrave. Hargrave is the OKCTEEC advisor and CareerTech state coordinator for Work Prep.

“These students are learning methods to independently continue their education while working to further improve the lives of their families,” Hargrave said.

Educators and professional partners also play an important role in “making it work.”

“It’s vitally important that a strong partnership is maintained between programs, agencies, businesses and industries as our participants pursue educational training and gain employment,” said Ronda Weaver, president of OKCTEEC. Weaver is program coordinator and counselor at Caddo Kiowa Technology Center. “We rely heavily on our partners to provide exceptional learning opportunities outside of the classroom.”

The purposes of OKCTEEC are to increase effectiveness of education, promote research and strategies in education and educational equity, develop leadership, and provide advocacy for equity and diversity.

“By contributing to the professional development of students in poverty, we are able to improve the economic outlook for the future,” Hargrave said.

For more information about OKCTEEC, call Lou Ann Hargrave at 405-743-5128 or visit www.cteec.org.

Links to photographs taken during the April 10, 2013 Making It Work Day at the Capitol

Ann Houston  ahous@okcareertech.org
Communications and Marketing
Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education

• Fast-tracked her understanding of facilitating and delivering high-quality, high-level education.
• Earned 12 credits through Oklahoma State University toward teaching certificate requirements.
• Taken a CareerTech Student Organization course at OSU.

NOW: Melanie is working toward a degree in career and technical education at Oklahoma State University with plans to seek national board certification in teaching, then a graduate degree. She combines her skills in cosmetology with teaching as an American Cancer Society volunteer, conducting the local Look Good, Feel Better program for women with cancer who are undergoing treatment.

Since 2006, the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education has received 4.74 percent of the Oklahoma Lottery Education Trust Fund. CareerTech has used the almost $25.3 million to help technology centers and comprehensive schools upgrade equipment and to help system employees further their education.

“We can account for every single dollar of lottery appropriations,” said Jim Aulgur, CareerTech chief financial officer.

In fiscal year 2013, 14 technology centers received grants totaling $1,607,965 to update equipment, from iPads to health and manufacturing simulators to a commercial pumper for fire training. Also in fiscal year 2013, 150 comprehensive schools – public schools that have CareerTech classes – received a total of 251 equipment grants totaling $1,850,849.19.

In fiscal year 2012, more than 200 scholarships were awarded for a total of $122,835. An additional $43,800 went to professional development scholarships. The scholarships help CareerTech educators do their jobs better to help students, business and industry and the state.

“Through the scholarships, we help CareerTech educators gain the skills to be successful in their careers,” said LaMecia Stidham, manager of professional and leadership development at CareerTech.

Roger Smith, a mechatronics instructor at Southwest Technology Center in Altus who received a scholarship while pursuing a master of education in administration degree, said his classes in education administration helped him teach more effectively.

“I feel that the students I teach benefit in at least two ways,” he explained. “First, in matters concerning behavior and discipline, my approach has changed. I handle problems differently and keep and resolve problems in my classroom. Secondly, my students benefit from my experience in counseling and career exploration. I share my experiences and provide feedback to my students when questions of pathways or opportunities arise.”

Ten percent of CareerTech’s lottery money goes to the scholarships, said Lisa Batchelder, manager of the agency’s finance division. The remaining 90 percent is divided equally between technology equipment grants for technology centers and for comprehensive schools.

In fiscal year 2013, technology center grants have paid for collision repair waterborne paint systems, a fire training commercial pumper, training simulators for health care and other programs, computer server farms, visual effect systems and iPads. Nineteen technology center districts submitted proposals for lottery awards, and 14 received funds.

Pontotoc Technology Center received funds to buy iPads, which benefit the entire school, said Susie Overturf, director of information systems. Practical nursing instructors use iPads to monitor and assess students’ clinical experiences, and heavy equipment instructors and cosmetology instructors use them to record video of students’ work for training purposes, Overturf said.

“Students are learning skills for a digital world,” she said. “Their skills are enhanced by using Google Docs, surveys, email, Skype for video conferences and other apps specific to their training areas.”

Great Plains Technology Center Director of Instruction James Bishop said the technology center has used lottery funds to pay for a server farm for the cyber security program and for a motion capture system and server farm for the 3-D animation program. The last two items allow students to create the kind of animations seen in today’s movies much faster than they could before.

“What took four hours takes four minutes,” Bishop said.

The technology centers submit budgets for their projects and are reimbursed as they spend the money, said Joe Robinson, associate state director of field services and technology centers. If there’s a change, a technology center has to get it approved before spending money if it wants reimbursement, he said.

“We know exactly where the money is,” he explained.

That policy is in line with CareerTech’s attitude toward lottery funds in general. The state agency keeps a close accounting of all lottery dollars it receives and starts each year’s competitive grant process only after it receives the lottery funds.

Schools, technology centers and those seeking scholarships all submit applications that include their plans for any money they receive. Because it is a competitive process, not all those who apply will receive funds.

Agency staff members know how much money is available before they begin considering applicants, Batchelder said.

“We only expend the lottery dollars we’ve actually received,” she said.

Great Plains’ 3-D Animation student, Shelton Moore uses the Organic Motion Capture system to create an animated image of instructor Jeremy Wright swinging a baseball bat.

Lottery scholarship advances Master Teacher Melanie Walker

Lottery funds to purchase SimMan - Oklahoma Horizon

By Laura Wilson, writer/editor
lwils@okcareertech.org
Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education

The direct benefits are 10 times the direct costs to deliver training to those who complete CareerTech programs, the study revealed.

"With only about $135 million in state funding to the CareerTech System, this means Oklahoma gets an incredible return on its investment," said Robert Sommers, state director of the CareerTech agency.

During his or her work life, a typical CareerTech graduate can expect to add more than $475,000 to lifetime earnings compared to someone who completes no additional education beyond high school.

Mark Snead, president of RegionTrack, conducted the study, a cost-benefit analysis of students completing education at technology centers. The study examined 16,075 adult and secondary students in a diverse set of fields ranging from health sciences to information technology.

"This study demonstrates the personal benefits to Oklahoma CareerTech graduates are considerable," said Sommers. "They have higher starting salaries, earn more money during their worklives, realize more non-earned income and enjoy more income in retirement."

Across all 16,075 FY11 completers, training is expected to add approximately $3 billion in current dollars to future lifetime income.

Added sales and income taxes paid directly by completers to state and local governments is estimated at $137 million, or more than $8,500 per completer.

While the study focuses on increased earnings during the work life, other documented benefits can result from the completion of career majors.

Research shows that occupation-based training provides faster entry into the labor force for young workers and increases the likelihood of becoming a professional or manager. Those completing career and technology training and education also have higher labor force participation rates and experience lower rates of unemployment than workers with only high school diplomas. Other socioeconomic benefits can accrue to the state as result of reduced reliance on public services, improved health benefits and reduced absenteeism.

For more information please contact Paula Bowles, chief communications and marketing officer pbowl@okcareertech.org 405.743.5108 (o); 405.240.7324 (c)

Related content

- The Study- A Cost-Benefit Analysis

- Horizon TV Interview with Mark Snead

Fourteen CareerTech teams built and programmed robots in six weeks for the competition. They competed against 42 other teams from Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Texas and Oregon at the event March 28-30 at Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City.

FIRST – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology – is an international organization seeking to revolutionize the world of science and technology through skill-building programs and activities for high school students.

“This year’s competition entailed programming the robot to pick up and throw Frisbees into designated goals and then climb up a tower to deliver more Frisbees on the top of the tower. These students and mentors are awesome. It is a great game to watch, too,” said Tina Fugate, Science, Technology Engineering and Math - STEM - and academic coordinator at Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.

CareerTech’s regional winners are Central Technology Center, Drumright, No. 1 finalist; Gordon Cooper Technology Center, Shawnee, FIRST Dean’s List No. 2 finalist and the Engineering Inspiration Award, regional winners No. 1 finalist; and Tri County Technology Center, Bartlesville, regional winners No. 2 finalist and the Industrial Design Award.

Two other CareerTech teams also won awards. Tulsa Memorial Pre-Engineering won the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award, the Industrial Safety Award and the Judges Award, and Meridian Technology Center, Stillwater, earned the Team Spirit Award.

“Aside from technical skills gained and refined through FIRST competition, students are also able to develop interpersonal and teamwork skills that will be vital to a positive work environment,” Fugate said. “Through the organization’s innovative concept of gracious professionalism, students are encouraged to respect and work with other teams and team members while demonstrating high-quality work.”

Many Oklahoma FIRST Robotics team members also receive hands-on STEM education in CareerTech Pre-Engineering academies at technology centers.

For more information about FIRST Robotics or Oklahoma CareerTech STEM Education contact Tina Fugate at tfuga@okcareertech.org.

Team of Local Students Qualify for World Robotics Competition

Robotics Competition Teachs Students About Science, Math and Technology

OSU Student Starts Business During Freshman Year

By Ann Houston
Communications and Marketing

For more information about this program go to the Oklahoma Horizon Website.

If Jim Bullington’s plans succeed, an initiative he started in his home state of Oklahoma will spread to the whole country. And the ground-source heat pump industry will benefit greatly.

Bullington, Trade and Industrial Education  program specialist at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, has become the impetus for seeing that all of Oklahoma’s CareerTech HVACR programs include ground-source heat pump training in their existing curriculum.

But Bullington isn’t stopping there. After months of discussions with International Ground Source Heat Pump Association Executive Director James Bose, Bullington believes his Oklahoma GSHP Initiative should go national. As the assistant state program administrator for Trade and Industrial Education at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, Bullington is in a position to help make that happen.

He is already working with Oklahoma’s CareerTech schools and his trade and industrial education instructors to beef up geothermal offerings in existing HVACR training. A number of IGSHPA allies and Oklahoma geothermal business leaders are assisting Bullington’s efforts.

Bullington’s interest in ramping up GSHP training efforts in Oklahoma is a reflection of growing national interests to ensure well-trained technicians are coming through the pipeline to match actual and anticipated growth of the geothermal industry.

Oklahoma’s unique vocational education system, CareerTech, has for years trained high school students and adults to meet the state’s vocational and trade needs for qualified workers. Now, through collaboration with a number of ground-source heat pump industry leaders and IGSHPA, they are poised to potentially help spread GSHP training to a new level.

While most states have training programs in their vocational and technical education system to provide instruction in the HVACR trade as well as other business and industry areas, Oklahoma’s CareerTech differs in a very positive way. Students from the state’s secondary education system have access to training provided by Oklahoma’s CareerTech facilities. High school students living in a technology center district attend tuition free, while adults are charged nominal tuition. Technology center students also are able to earn highly affordable and transferable college credit from area colleges in many career majors.

Tony Hise, an Oklahoma Army National Guardsman, and first year full-time
student at Gordon Cooper, learns about fusion techniques. Hise will
graduate in March of 2013, and plans to have a long fulfilling career in the
HVAC and geothermal industry.  (Photo by Janet F. Reeder)

Oklahoma’s CareerTech system is often used as a model for programs across the United States and around the world. The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education provides leadership and resources to ensure standards of excellence throughout the statewide system. The system offers its programs and services throughout nearly 400 public school districts, 29 technology centers with 57 campus sites and 14 skills centers located in correctional facilities. Each technology center works closely with advisers from local industry to ensure that students learn the skills needed to be valued members of the workforce.

Bullington is banking on the strength of his state’s program to be able to lead other states into GSHP training for their HVACR components. So far he has 18 of his 20 locations ready to get more serious about the curriculum when it is released. He has spent countless hours researching equipment to assist that effort. “What I have is all optional,” Bullington says. The 100 hours or more that he has put in researching material and equipment has produced a unitary equipment list with parts numbers, prices and other information from a dozen or more vendors that will allow a program’s instructor to build the units needed to support instruction.

A “training station” incorporates three major components that when brought together allow hands-on experience for the students. For programs that do not have any GSHP equipment, Bullington has a package system available. For training, instructors need at least one ground-source heat pump, and having more than one brand is even better for training purposes. Many have been fortunate enough to have units donated from industry manufacturers such as ClimateMaster, FHP Bosch and WaterFurnace.

The three-piece ground-source heat pump training unit at Gordon Cooper Technology Center is comprised of a ClimateMaster Tranquility 27 (TT) Series Residential Vertical Up-Flow Unit, three 500-foot 3/4-inch HD Polipro piping loops and the flush cart. The loops and flush cart were built and donated by Geo-Enterprises  (Photo by Janet F. Reeder)

Bullington says other components, are also integral to the training stations. His research has been directed toward a unitary portable system. “Training requires several pieces, not just the heat pump,” he says. Two other components are the loop cart, and a stand-aside flushing and purging cart. Additionally, the equipment for fusing polyethylene pipe and sample piping is also needed.

All of the parts that comprise the training station require different skills and different verifications. He explains that the programs are not able to include more than basic information about drilling and design software and other areas that will require additional professional training and certification when students find employment.

“We are mainly trying to get these students who will be leaving as technicians, to be able to understand the technology and get over any trepidation that they have about servicing,” Bullington said. “They will be able to at least walk up and take pressures, take temperatures, calculate latent Btus and tell whether or not the system is performing up to potential.”

Bullington says that ideally the students “will go through all of the motions that are required in commissioning a unit, troubleshooting a unit, putting the pipe together and if they have the opportunity, they are going through all of the steps to the pipe and fusion and headering of the pipe to bring it all the way into the building.”

Currently the curriculum being developed will be for 30 hours of instruction. “That is a reasonable amount of time where we could make a student familiar and fit in four or five labs,” he says. He expects the curriculum will be online and students will be able to be self-paced.

“The contractors I have talked to that are hiring these students are sending them on for IGSHPA training. We don’t know what they are going to wind up in, so we try to make them aware of everything. Then when they get on a job the contractor can decide if they are going to be a ground-source technician, they probably should go to Stillwater and get that certification from IGSHPA,” Bullington said.

Oklahoma’s Gordon Cooper Technology Center HVACR Instructor Jerry Pickering instructs a popular residential and light commercial heat and air program in Shawnee. He teaches students from 16 years old to adults, including returning military veterans. High school students take two years to complete the program, while adult students can finish in a year.

“We are full all the time,” Pickering says. “I have a waiting list.” An active lab is a bonus to his school’s program, he says. On the day that Pickering was interviewed, Jim Bullington also visited the program to deliver some donated equipment. Pickering says he has seen “fantastic support” from the industry.

Geothermal is added toward the end of Pickering’s instruction. “As they get to their air-to-air heat pumps, the logical progression is to go on to ground-source heat pumps.”

Pickering’s students are very excited about having ground-source heat pump training included in their program. “They know that it is a big deal with the contractors and that it is really catching on and getting strong in the market,” he says. “They see that in real life their knowledge of geothermal is going to make them much more employable. And of course, that is what we are all about.”

Pickering says the equipment in his lab, including this flush and purge unit unit provides  an
“excellent setup” for teaching his students about geothermal technology.
(Photo by Janet F. Reeder)

Meridian Technology HVACR Instructor Travis Snowden, in Stillwater, Okla., agrees with Bullington that adding GSHP training to his program is a win-win situation. Students will be able to work when they finish the CareerTech HVACR programs, and adding GSHP makes them even more employable, Snowden says.

“It just makes them more marketable. And that is what we are after here,” Snowden said. He adds that students who successfully complete the program can bypass two years of their apprenticeship for their journeyman’s license. It is appealing to students that they can finish the program and then work one year under a contractor and sit for their journeyman license.

“It is something that gets them a little further along and it gives them a really good chance of passing that journeyman’s test, which is fairly difficult,” Snowden said.

Moving Oklahoma’s model for GSHP training in the CareerTech system to a national level will be well worth the effort. More information, including CareerTech state director contacts, training station material lists and information on how to contact Bullington is available at www.gshp.okcareertech.org.

Article by and recreated courtesy of

Janet F. Reeder  BA, MS

Editor - Geo Outlook
IGSHPA Media Relations
International Ground Source Heat Pump Association
janet.reeder@okstate.edu
www.igshpa.okstate.edu