On Tuesday evening, OkACTE held their 2024 Partners in Progress program at the Hilton Garden Inn in Edmond, honoring workforce partners from each technology center. This year, CKTC’s partner in progress was CHS Cooperative.
CKTC Superintendent Tony Hancock, Assistant Superintendent Jennie Nunn, Industrial/Truck Driver Training Coordinator Dale Lewis and Business & Industry Services Director John Noel attended along with Brandon Winters from CHS.
Caddo Kiowa Technology Center (CKTC) is pleased to honor CHS Cooperative in Frederick, Oklahoma as their 2023 Partner in Progress. CHS is a company-owned, locally-governed agricultural service center that is part of global CHS Inc., the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative. CHS helps farmers and customers grow their business, from harvesting and selling crops, to custom fertilization and crop protection solutions, to quality nutrition for livestock. CHS Frederick is the largest farmer-owned cooperative in southwest Oklahoma.
Caddo Kiowa Technology Center knows all too well the importance of the agricultural community. Located in Caddo County, the most diverse farming area in southwest Oklahoma, CKTC strives to support our number one industry through numerous services. Keeping with the mission of the institution, growing the workforce, CKTC knows all too well the challenges CHS faces in aiding our local farmers. CHS and CKTC are committed to providing a quality workforce for local agriculturalists. Due to the lack of trained workforce, area producers that grow seasonal crops such as wheat, cotton, watermelons, peanuts and potatoes have been employing CHS provided workers from South Africa who have their I-94 work Visas. One of the major road blocks CHS faces is providing enough Class A Certified Driver’s License (CDL) drivers to the producers in their network. International workers coming to work in the United States on I-94 work visas do not have US legal CDL’s, let alone a valid standard Class D license. Having the premier Truck Driver Training Program in southwest Oklahoma, it was only natural CHS and CKTC form this valuable partnership.
For more than eight years, CKTC’s Truck Driver Training Program has been meeting CHS’s training needs. International farm workers attended CKTC on site, utilizing the proven curriculum and training currently established. Students are trained on state of the art truck driving simulators, outdoor truck training courses, and tractor trailers. This custom designed training for CHS allows participants to quickly and efficiently gain the skills needed to transition to the agriculture worksite. CKTC is proud to say we have met CHS’s needs with upwards of 100 certified drivers.
Those coming to the United States on I-94 Visas for season farm work return year after year. Some say it is what they look forward to most. As farm workers are desperately needed in our local community, this impacts the bottom line of our economy. The value added to our local agriculture industry allows CHS to retain CDL certified workers year after year. Long term problem, short term training program, long term partnership.
#CKTC | #OkACTE | #CHSCooperative
