Leadership Notes: Talent OKC brings education and workforce together

Over the past several months, more than 150 business, education and community leaders across the Greater Oklahoma City region have helped us take a closer look at how our education and workforce systems connect. 

Through conversations, stakeholder meetings and Design Labs led in partnership with CivicLab, one thing has become clear: our region is not short on strong programs or committed organizations. The opportunity is to better connect that work. 

That is the focus of Talent OKC: Connecting Education & Workforce, the Chamber’s effort to bring educators, employers, workforce partners, community organizations and public leaders together to build a stronger, more aligned system. 

At our recent State of Education & Workforce event, we explored why those connections matter. Preparing people for meaningful careers begins long before they enter the workforce and continues through K-12 education, CareerTech, higher education, employment and lifelong learning. 

For Oklahoma City, getting those connections right is critical to continued economic growth. As our region attracts investment and creates new opportunities, we need a talent pipeline capable of growing alongside our economy. 

We already see what collaboration can accomplish. Across our aviation industry, partnerships among educators and employers give students hands-on experiences and clearer pathways from the classroom to high-demand careers. 

Now, the work with CivicLab is helping identify shared challenges and shape a roadmap for Talent OKC informed by the people closest to education and workforce needs across our region. It is also challenging us to look beyond individual organizations and consider what we can accomplish together that none of us can achieve alone. 

No single organization can build the workforce Oklahoma City will need in the years ahead. Through Talent OKC, we have an opportunity to work differently together, strengthen pathways for students and workers, and prepare our region for continued growth.