Tuesday, September 27, 2016
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today announced that Mike Fuller, general manager at American Castings in Pryor, has been named a regional leader to support the “Oklahoma Works” education, workforce and job creation initiative.
Fuller will lead the Key Economic Network (KEN) that covers the northeast region of Oklahoma. To address regional workforce needs, Oklahoma Works established nine KENs with each headed by a “business champion” to coordinate local efforts to support Oklahoma Works.
“We are so thankful for our Oklahoma Works partners, particularly the KEN champions across the state, for their leadership and willingness to collaborate to better connect job-seekers to the skills and job opportunities in high demand industries,” said Fallin.
Oklahoma Works is a coalition of partners working to connect resources, education, training and job opportunities to build the state’s workforce. A KEN leader has been tapped in each region to build local partnerships and spearhead efforts to align education and workforce to meet regional needs.
“The premise of Oklahoma Works is simple. Our state is a national leader in economic growth, but we do not have enough skilled workers to meet the workforce demands of our companies,” said Fallin. “Put simply, we are not creating the kind of workforce we need to attract and retain the high quality, good paying jobs necessary for Oklahoma’s future.”
The other Oklahoma Works KEN champions are:
An Oklahoma Works summit is scheduled for Oct. 6. The event will present lessons learned, showcase national best practices and promote the vision of Oklahoma Works. Registration information can be found at: http://www.okstatechamber.com/events. Deadline to register is Oct. 3.
About Oklahoma Works
Oklahoma Works is a statewide initiative connecting an unprecedented number of businesses, state agencies and educators. Launched by Governor Mary Fallin in 2014, the coalition of partners are aligning resources, education, training and job opportunities to build the state’s workforce. The initiative aims to ensure all Oklahomans have the skills and education necessary to enter and advance in rewarding careers and Oklahoma businesses have the talented workforce they need to succeed. For more information, visit: www.oklahomaworks.gov. Follow Oklahoma Works on Facebook and Twitter: @OklaWorks.