Career Ready by 18 Local districts equip students for real-world success BY TIM WILLERT . PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MOORE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. What’s Right with Our Schools
Letting students test-drive their futures Krissa Cavnar, a Moore High career
specialist, says internships that pair as many as 200 seniors with prospective employers for five hours a week let them “try out a career.” “They can go spend time with a mentor in that line of work and see if that’s what they want to do after high school,” said Cavnar. “It’s super awesome for the kids to get to see if this is the path they want to follow and start making those connections with those future employers.” According to Dickinson, 30 percent of high school students in Oklahoma are going to college and 30 percent are going to “some type of technical school or gaining certification by the time they graduate.” “And then we have this huge group of 40 percent that we’ve still got to engage and give them opportunities after high school,” said Dickinson. Dickinson hopes a new graduation requirement in Moore requiring incoming freshmen to have six pathway credits will generate even more interest. Career tech programs are building momentum across the Oklahoma City metro area as school districts are shifting their focus to satisfy the changing needs of students and employers. This renewed commitment to career readiness is helping districts provide flexible, tailored pathways to employment success.
A cross the Oklahoma City metro, school districts are reimagining workforce development and career readiness for high school students to meet the growing demands of both students and employers. Thousands of students are gaining hands-on skills, industry certifications and paid internships in high-demand fields like real estate, aviation, construction and graphic design, which can launch them into careers straight out of high school. Educators say they’re responding to what students are asking for: more options beyond a traditional four- year degree — and to what industries are demanding: skilled, work-ready employees who can fill critical gaps in the local workforce. Career readiness begins freshman year With the help of Moore Public Schools, McKenzie Gregory became a real estate agent before she finished high school. Gregory learned to flip a house, obtained a real estate license and was hired by a local agency before she graduated from Moore High School on May 21. “I’ve always had an interest in real estate,” Gregory said in a video produced by the district. Gregory took advantage of an internship provided by Moore Public Schools through its career tech program, the final step in a career readiness and exploration journey that begins freshman year. “The goal is to show students the resources, options and avenues that are available and let them select what’s best for them,” said Rocky Dickinson, the district’s career education coordinator. “When they leave, they’re either
MOORE PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENT ERICA FRASS INTERNS AT SOONER VETERINARY HOSPITAL IN NORMAN.
employable or ready to take that step into a college major.” Aviation, aircraft maintenance, computer repair and graphic design are among the career pathways offered by Oklahoma’s fourth-largest school district. The program’s popularity is on the rise in Moore, where 4,000 of the district’s 7,000 high school students have signed up to take career tech courses. The number of instructors will increase from 42 to 55 in the coming school year. “We’re seeing students move away from student debt and the idea that you must attend college,” said Dickinson. “They realize that with certifications and other opportunities they can be just as employable and have just as great a career.” The process includes interest assessments, competency-based instruction that leads to industry certification and workplace field trips.
Editor’s note: This article is part of a year-long series highlighting the innovative and inspiring programs shaping public education in the Oklahoma City metro. Each installment explores a different theme, showcasing how educators, administrators and communities are coming together to create meaningful opportunities for students. Read the full series at metrofamilymagazine.com/whats-right-with-our-schools. 12 METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / JULY-AUGUST 2025
MOORE PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENT ABBY SHAW LEARNS ABOUT CARDIOVASCULAR HEART IMAGING DURING AN INTERNSHIP AT NORMAN REGIONAL HOSPITAL.
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