OSU Polytech, industry leaders chart innovative course to drive high-tech workforce development

OSU Polytech, industry leaders chart innovative course to drive high-tech workforce development

Friday, November 8, 2024

Media Contact: Sydney Trainor | Communications and Media Relations Specialist | 405-744-9782 | [email protected]

OSU Polytech launches TV spot following statewide roundtable meetings

OSU has been an economic engine for the state since its inception, and, through OSU Institute of Technology, OSU-Tulsa and OSU-OKC, it has by far the strongest track record of delivering hands-on and technical education opportunities across the state.

When OSU launched OSU Polytech in December of 2023, it had ample momentum to build on. After meeting in person throughout the summer with industry leaders across the state to hear their stories on their turf and understand their challenges, university leaders now have a clearer picture of how to empower and elevate Oklahoma's workforce and economy.

The summer campaign included 17 industry roundtables - six events in rural areas and 11 in urban settings - attracting 350 external guests from over 200 organizations. These conversations laid the foundation for OSU Polytech and its growing coalition of industry partners to address the skills gaps in the Oklahoma economy by aligning educational programs with real-world needs.

"As the state's undisputed leader in advanced technology education for over 60 years, OSU Polytech embodies our land-grant mission to serve the state, a longstanding tradition of service, and a commitment to a student-focused approach to higher education," said Kyle Wray, senior vice president of system affairs. "As the state's largest university system, we ensure Oklahoma is open for business in the fast-moving areas of science and technology. These industry roundtables have proven critical to our development of experiential workforce education opportunities."

The roundtables spanned key sectors of the Oklahoma economy, including:

• advanced manufacturing
• aerospace and aviation
• agriculture and agribusiness
• construction
• energy and power
• health care and life sciences
• information technology and telecommunications
• supply chain and logistics.

The roundtables revealed common industry strategies to address skilled labor shortages, such as developing in-house training programs, contracting with third-party vendors for training, adopting automation and robotics, hiring temporary workers, moving jobs overseas or simply being forced to decline business deals.

For OSU Polytech, those challenges represent an opportunity to make a positive impact.

"To grow our state economy, Oklahoma businesses throughout our state need access to talent," said Oklahoma Rep. John Pfeiffer. "Our state currently faces a shortage of highly skilled labor. OSU Polytech is leading the effort to address this labor shortage by developing a pipeline of industry-ready and life-ready graduates to help businesses grow and expand in Oklahoma."

These conversations highlighted how OSU Polytech's micro-credentials, certificates and mini-degrees could be a resource to combat labor shortages by aiding in reskilling and upskilling employees. OSU Polytech programs allow skilled workers to keep pace with technological advancements while encouraging entry-level employees to learn new skills to advance their careers and high school students to pursue post-secondary learning opportunities.

"Every day, we have businesses - large and small - that step up and say they want to be a partner with us. We are actively working with each of them to determine how we can best meet their needs," said Dr. Ronna Vanderslice, OSU System vice provost for academic affairs and OSU Polytech provost.

"Many of the partners we heard from this summer are very interested in non-credit training. We know students who enter non-credit programs want to get additional education to better their career opportunities. Research shows that 43% of students who enter a non-credit program are likely to enter a degree program. Whether it's increasing the training for skilled workers or increasing the pipeline to traditional higher education, it's all extremely beneficial to meeting the workforce needs of our state."

During these roundtable meetings, industry leaders identified vital skills these programs can and should provide to ensure career success, such as critical thinking, conflict resolution, communication, and technical and leadership skills. Leaders also expressed a desire for OSU Polytech to deliver on-site continuing education and training as labor shortages make it infeasible for companies to send employees to attend off-site training.

"OSU Polytech is set to be a game-changer for our state, especially in cities like my hometown of Durant, which is experiencing rapid economic growth," said Greg Massey, First United Bank CEO. "To sustain this momentum, we need a skilled workforce to drive continued progress. We are thankful that President Shrum has made workforce development a top priority for OSU. By actively collaborating with industry leaders and aligning its programs with real-world needs, OSU Polytech will create industry-aligned programs to best prepare students for career success."

The roundtables sparked conversations about how OSU could partner with industry and K-12 education to offer training, concurrent courses and opportunities to introduce students to various trades through career fairs and other events.

Building on these collaborative efforts, partnerships like the OKC FAME program launched its first cohort this summer. This program allows students to pursue associate degree programs while getting direct hands-on experience in the manufacturing industry.

Other partnerships, like one between Union Public Schools in Tulsa and OSUIT, offer classes in electrical construction and air conditioning and refrigeration. These partnerships allow high school juniors and seniors to earn college credit, sit for certification exams and explore different career paths, putting them on track to a promising career before they even graduate from high school.

Based on feedback from industry collaborators, OSU-OKC's Power Transmission and Distribution Technology program implemented a revamp this fall that included the addition of more daytime sections.

The program, which enrolled a record number of students after the updates, prepares individuals to work in both public and private sectors of the electrical power transmission and distribution industry, where electrical power line installers and repairers are among Oklahoma's Top 100 Critical Occupations, with an average of 280 annual openings and median annual earnings of $62,358.

"OSU Polytech is not about increasing our freshman class here in Stillwater," Wray said. "This is about partnering to get more people workforce ready through training opportunities."

In the last year, OSU Polytech has added programs based on industry feedback at OSU-OKC like Applied Data Analytics, Engineering Technologies - Automation, Engineering Technologies - Industrial Engineering, Information Technologies - Cybersecurity, and Information Technologies - Software Development. OSU has also launched statewide TV spotto raise awareness about OSU Polytech and the transformative opportunities it offers. This forward momentum reflects OSU Polytech's dedication to meeting Oklahoma's workforce needs and elevating the Oklahoma economy.

"OSU Polytech is a great example of how higher education is innovating and evolving to meet the changing educational needs of our state," said Rick Walker, OSU/A&M Regent and Liberty National Bank CEO. "As a land-grant university, OSU is committed to providing students with affordable access to career-oriented, practical education. Through OSU Polytech, students across the state will have expanded post-secondary learning opportunities to gain the skills and training needed to be successful in today's increasingly technological world."

Vanderslice said the roundtables were a vital step in the process and will shape OSU Polytech's approach as it continues to develop curriculum to meet Oklahoma's workforce demands.

"Together, we're forging a path that ensures our programs are not only relevant but also forward-thinking, preparing students for success in a rapidly evolving job market," she said.

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