As the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber enters the second half of 2026, Chamber Chair Mike Ross sees opportunity ahead for Oklahoma City. Now more than halfway through his first year as chair, Ross reflected on the Chamber's progress, the partnerships driving the city's momentum and the priorities that will shape the months ahead.
A strong workforce doesn't happen by accident. It takes employers, educators and community partners working together to prepare people for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
When the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber launched Forward OKC VII, one priority quickly rose to the top: education. The reason is simple. As Oklahoma City continues to grow and attract new employers, developing a strong talent pipeline is essential to sustaining that momentum.
As Oklahoma City continues to grow, conversations around education and workforce readiness are becoming increasingly important to the region’s future. Those discussions will take center stage at the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber’s annual State of Education & Workforce event on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
For many students and families, the journey from education to a successful career is not always straightforward.
The first cohort of students from the OKC Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) has officially graduated, marking a major milestone for a workforce initiative led locally by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber.
The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber has officially launched a new effort to better align education and workforce systems across the region, partnering with CivicLab to develop a five-year strategic plan focused on strengthening the talent pipeline.
Oklahoma City’s growth reflects decades of intentional investment, strong partnerships and a clear focus on building a competitive and resilient economy. As that momentum continues, our responsibility is to ensure the region’s workforce keeps pace with the opportunities being created.
