As Oklahoma City’s manufacturing sector continues to expand, a new generation of skilled workers is stepping up to power that growth. On July 7, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber celebrated the latest milestone for its workforce development efforts with a special signing event for Oklahoma’s first chapter of the nationally recognized Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (OKC FAME) program.
The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber’s 2025 State of the Schools event returns Wednesday, Aug. 6, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. This annual gathering offers a powerful opportunity to hear directly from top education and workforce leaders, connect with other engaged community members and gain insight into the future of public education in our region.
BioTC, the state’s first biomanufacturing workforce training center, celebrated the completion of its first training cohort, held April 7-11. Led by the Oklahoma City Innovation District, the program prepares participants for entry-level roles in the biotechnology field.
As more employers prioritize converting interns into full-time team members, preparing young talent for that transition has never been more important. InternOKC offers a one-day, high-impact experience that helps interns feel connected to their workplace and to the Oklahoma City community.
Oklahoma is at a disadvantage when it comes to making informed decisions on education and our future workforce. The data currently gathered by multiple state agencies within the education and workforce space is not connected, creating the inability to measure the long-term effectiveness of education programs and workforce readiness.
The 2024 By the Numbers report from the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber shows that the region continues to experience significant growth and economic expansion. From population increases to sector growth and improvements in workforce development, the report provides an updated snapshot of the area's ongoing development. Below are some of the key updates:
The Advanced Manufacturing Lab represents a $1.4 million investment, partly funded by a $580,000 Workforce Advancement Initiative grant championed by Rep. Stephanie Bice and former Sen. James Inhofe. The space is flexible, allowing equipment to move freely between instructional areas to support diverse training needs.
Oklahoma is set to undergo a significant economic transformation with the announcement of groundbreaking legislation aimed at revitalizing the state's economic strategy. This includes Senate Bill 1447, known as the COMPETE Act, and House Bill 3252, aimed at revitalizing Oklahoma's economic strategy.
