The need to look across systems also surfaced during a panel discussion with Oklahoma CareerTech State Director Brent Haken, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Lindel Fields and Rose State College President Travis Hurst. Haken said alignment can be difficult because organizations naturally focus on their own goals and initiatives, sometimes losing sight of where their work fits into a larger system. Conversations among partners can help identify barriers and determine where different organizations are best positioned to contribute. Hurst pointed to what is at stake for the region when those connections are missing. “Plain and simple, businesses follow talent,” Hurst said. For students and families, he said, disconnected systems can also mean missed opportunities as people move between different stages of education and employment. Stronger coordination can create smoother transitions while maintaining multiple pathways for people whose goals or circumstances change. The work with CivicLab continues to gather those experiences and perspectives as the Talent OKC strategy develops. Through Design Labs, stakeholder conversations and other engagement, partners are identifying where connections already exist, where gaps remain and where changes could improve how people move through the region’s education and workforce systems. Those findings will help inform the Talent OKC roadmap and determine where Greater Oklahoma City can turn what it is learning into strategies that improve outcomes for students, workers and employers across the region.
Hess described early childhood education as “workforce infrastructure,” pointing to its role in both preparing children for long-term success and allowing parents and caregivers to participate in the workforce today. Hess also highlighted the opportunity among adults already living in the region. About 582,000 adults in the region do not hold a credential beyond high school, including approximately 105,000 without a high school diploma. Hess said successful Talent Hub communities have also established educational attainment goals at the regional level rather than leaving individual institutions to pursue separate goals. Regions that took that approach experienced educational attainment growth about 15% higher than state and national averages, though Hess cautioned that the relationship was highly correlated rather than necessarily causal. Rhonda Baker, director of education at the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, speaks with attendees at the State of Education and Workforce event.
Rose State College President Travis Hurst, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Lindel Fields and Oklahoma CareerTech State Director Brent Haken discuss education and workforce alignment during a panel moderated by Bob Funk Jr. of Express Employment Professionals.
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