Partners in Progress

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

Practical Nursing Pinning Ceremony

Caddo Kiowa Technology Center recently held a pinning ceremony for 15 Practical Nursing students who have completed the program since 2020. Twelve of the students were in attendance and 9 of them have sat for the NCLEX, passed and are working in the nursing field.
The Practical Nursing students complete 60 hours of lab, 82 clinical days, 90 nursing exams and 1 comprehensive final for a grand total of 1,463 hours to become a graduate of the program. This completion allows them to sit for the National Nursing exam aka the NCLEX.
#cktc

Short-Term Class / Effective Communication Skills

“Only one thing stands between you and success. It isn’t experience. It isn’t talent.”

It’s the ability to turn your communication Into connection. If you want to succeed, you must learn how to use communication to build relationships with people.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS – February 17, 2022 from 8:00am to 4:00pm. $99.

For more information call 405.643.3222 or visit our short-term courses site at mycktc.coursestorm.com/course/effective-communication-skills

#cktc

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS!

Are you unsure what’s next In your business?

Do you lay awake at night and wonder If your business Is ever going to grow? If you are looking for ways to grow your business from online companies to farming to retail to agriculture and everything In between, you need this thought provoking program built using the “disruption model” of thinking. Everything Is on the table and will be discussed to help you achieve your goals. All of us are smarter than one of us!

More info on course: https://mycktc.coursestorm.com/course/growing-your-business

Apache Farmer’s Coop Receives Partners for Progress Award at 2021 OkACTE Awards Banquet

Caddo Kiowa Technology Center is pleased to honor the Apache Farmer’s Coop as their Partner in Progress. Apache Farmer’s Coop is comprehensive service center handling a complete line of products for today’s farmers and ranchers. Headquartered in Apache, Oklahoma, it is the leading agricultural industry provider in the Caddo Kiowa district. Apache Farmer’s Coop is a progressive and dynamic business dedicated to agricultural sustainment, environmental care, client satisfaction, and employee stewardship. 

The long standing partnership between the Coop and Caddo Kiowa Technology Center provides extensive outreach in community education, short term trainings, client based services, ag business management, and safety training. 

Apache Farmer’s Coop sends numerous employees to the Caddo Kiowa Crop Care Professional program. The Crop Care program trains for the complexities of modern pesticide and fertilizer services. The program develops awareness of product safety, environmental oversight, and precision ag application. This Crop Care Professional program significantly impacts Apache Farmer’s Coop’s safeguard practices, job retention and customer relations. 

Above: L to R: CKTC Superintendent Tony Hancock, CKTC Ag Business Management Coordinator Keith Brownback, Apache Farmer’s Coop Agronomy Manager, Dennis Crow and CKTC Business & Industry Services Director John Noel at the 2021 OkACTE Awards Banquet.

Caddo Kiowa Tech Center’s Truck Driver Training Program is another proven relational partnership. Not only do graduates seeking CLD employment get hired by the Apache Farmer’s Coop, but the Coop sends select employees through the program for career advancement.

The Apache Farmer’s Coop believes in employee growth. The Washita Valley Leadership Program enriches local leaders through mentorship, team building, governance, youth and education, area agriculture, and economic development. The Apache Farmer’s Coop has been an avid supporter of the leadership program since inception 26 years ago, providing support through educational tours, informational sessions, and sponsoring employee attendance.

Apache Farmer’s Coop began in 1920 and have been in service for over 100 years. They have grown to service four sites in southwest Oklahoma, employing more than 40 full time employees. The Apache Farmer’s Coop is a strong supporter of the local FFA programs, and aim to provide for the community through providing revenue, jobs, and foundational support. 

CKTC board member John Clay, resigns

Above: Caddo Kiowa Technology Center board President, Dustin Tackett presents board member John Clay, with a service award for many years of diligent service to Caddo Kiowa Technology Center.

Caddo Kiowa Technology Center board member, John Clay, a long time farmer in the Carnegie area, announced his resignation from the board at the August 9, 2021 board meeting. Mr. Clay has been one of the longest tenured school board members in the state. He started in July of 1992 and ended 29 years of service in August of 2021 as representative of seat/zone 4.

Mr. Clay served on the Caddo Kiowa Technology Center board through four superintendents, eleven board members and numerous staff. His influence at CKTC has been instrumental in helping the technology center meet the needs of students and patrons in the district. Mr. Clay’s contribution to building projects, campus updates and program changes have all been a foundation in the growth of the school over the years.

Current superintendent Tony Hancock stated “Mr. Clay has been an exceptional board member. He understands the challenges technology centers face in education and the need to provide a growing workforce as we seek to impact economic development in our district. His knowledge, character and overall commitment to excellence will be difficult to replace. He will be missed.”

Board President Dustin Tackett added “It has been a pleasure to serve with John for nearly 17 years. We have experienced a great deal during our time together on the board. His desire to provide a quality learning environment for our district has never wavered.”

Caddo Kiowa Technology Center serves 14 school districts and all or part of eight counties. Along with full-time programs of training for high school and adult students, the technology center provides customized training for business and industry partners and open enrollment classes to meet the needs of patrons all across the district.

CKTC Employees Win OkPACE Awards


Above: Dale Lewis and Shawn Freie

Oklahoma Post-Secondary Career Education (OkPACE) announced its 2021 award winners at its annual conference in April. Caddo Kiowa Technology Center brought home two of the six awards presented.

Shawn Freie, Small Business Management Coordinator, was awarded the OkPace Economic Development Award for her work with TetherTech USA. This award recognizes the individual or collaborative team efforts who creatively provide assistance relating to business start-ups, entrepreneurship, expansion and retention, and job creation.

TetherTech Safety, USA is housed in CKTC’s Business Incubator, under the direction of Freie. With more than 16 years’ experience in small business management, and as the first in SW Oklahoma to be Incubator Certified, Freie was able to provide TTS with the direction, assistance, and facilities needed to launch their successful business. TetherTech Safety provides a product to protect against tractor trailer wheel-off incidents, using a thick steel cable running through the axle tube and tethered to a pair of wheel-end caps. This design prevents the wheel assembly from separating in the event of a bearing failure. Freie works diligently with her clients assisting in the expansion and advancement of this lifesaving product.

Dale Lewis, Director Truck Driver Training, received the OkPace Innovation Award for the creative training partnership with CHS Cooperative in Frederick, Oklahoma. This award recognizes the most unique and innovative individual or collaborative activity which took the nominee beyond the normal scope of business and industry service.

Lewis developed a one of a kind training for CHS Inc., the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative. CHS places workers from South Africa who have their I-94 work Visas with local farmers who need assistance during harvest. Lewis arranged for CKTC’s award winning truck driver training program to educate CHS workers to achieve a Certified Driver’s License (CDL). This training program put successful and highly qualified CDL drivers to work for numerous farmers in SW Oklahoma.

Freie and Lewis will represent Oklahoma Post-Secondary Career Education nationally at Vision in December. Vision is the annual conference of the national Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE).

CKTC Biomed continues partnership with Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering at OU

CKTC Biomedical Sciences is excited to continue their partnership with the Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma.

For the last two years, CKTC students have been exposed to university professors and lab opportunities through a program called Bionanotechnology Engagement for Native Americans in Oklahoma.

The National Science Foundation has awarded a 5 year research grant to this program which will allow our students to participate in a summer internship on the OU campus as well as provide scholarship dollars for students choosing to pursue a degree major in a STEM related field.
This opportunity is only available to CKTC Biomedical Science students.