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 Jones
resident Godfrey Chan, an electrical engineering student at the
University of Oklahoma, hopes to someday work in the research
and development field, either with the military or in the aeronautical
industry.
However, Chan says his knowledge of the fundamental
concepts of electronics came from the career and technology training
he received at Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center (EOCTC),
Choctaw.
Chan is someone who can easily be described as a CareerTech
Champion.
CareerTech Champions are alumni of programs or student
organizations of Oklahoma's Career and Technology system (formerly
Oklahoma's Vo-Tech system), who have found success in a career
and attribute much of that success to their career and technology
experience.
Chan, a cadet in the Air Force Reserve
Officer Training Corps, attended an electrical trades program
at EOCTC from 1997-98.
His family moved frequently when he was younger because of his
father's work in the Army. The constant movement led his parents
to make the decision to home school their son.
As a home schooled student, Chan was eligible to attend a technology
center free until he was 18. His parents decided to make the
most of this opportunity which allowed him to receive some technical
training. "I wanted to study electronics in college and
I thought that learning the technical side of the field would
help complement my studies," Chan said.
The electrical trades program gave Chan an insight into how many
electrical concepts are used in the real world. He also learned
about basic aspects of electronics, such as how homes are wired
and power consumption.
Chan finds these concepts useful as he works on his degree program.
"In careertech you learn how to use things,"
he said. "Now I am learning how to design things and use
them at an advanced level."
Apart from giving him a hands-on education about electronics,
Chan said career and technology education also taught him many
real world skills such as teamwork and resource management.
Most impressive to Chan about his experience at Eastern Oklahoma
County Technology Center was the relaxed learning atmosphere.
There, academics and practical work are combined with projects
such as going out to work sites to see technicians working on
jobs like running cables into a home.
"Instead of studying all the time, you actually did both,"
he said. "You do some studying and some practical work."
Chan said that career and technology training helps students
develop a variety of useful skills.
"It's good to know a skill, particularly
in the technical area," he said. "You can use it in
general life, even if you don't use it in a profession."
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