Press Release: Ada, Oklahoma Certified as Center for Workforce Excellence

June 30, 2022 by Jessika Leatherbury

ADA, OKLAHOMA – The Oklahoma Department of Commerce, members of the Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development and industry leaders, announced the certification of Ada as the most recent Centers for Workforce Excellence (CWE) under the Oklahoma Works Together program. The Ada center is led by the Ada Jobs Foundation.

Working on a local level, Oklahoma Works Together is focused on deploying resources, leveraging existing programs, and aligning curriculum with local and regional employment demand. A CWE provides a point of contact within each identified region that serves existing and prospective employers’ workforce needs by coordinating resources and services. The program, established in late 2019, brought together groups from across the state to work hand-in-hand with business leaders, public education, higher education, economic developers, state agencies and CareerTech to devise a replicable workforce model that can be deployed statewide.

Oklahoma Works Together identifies and certifies localized collaborations which meet and exceed superior workforce development standards as a CWE. To date, 12 organizations have completed an accreditation process based on the newly established standards and guidelines. The full list of CWE locations can be found at www.oklahomaworkstogether.gov/centers.

“Pontotoc Technology Center is pleased to have Ada and Pontotoc County designated as a Center for Workforce Excellence Community,” said David Lassiter, Superintendent of Pontotoc Technology Center. “This is an important Statewide designation and will allow outside companies to be more informed about our available workforce and assets.”

“Ada City Schools is a proud partner in Ada’s efforts to become recognized as an Oklahoma Center of Workforce Excellence,” said Mike Anderson, Superintendent of Ada City Schools. “We are committed to search for new and innovative methods of preparing our students for jobs that will benefit Ada, benefit Oklahoma, and create a more resilient rural economy.”

“The Ada Jobs Foundation is thrilled for Ada and Pontotoc County to be designated as an Oklahoma Center of Workforce Excellence,” said Jim Eldridge, President and CEO of the Ada Jobs Foundation. “Talent is one of our greatest barriers to economic growth and the innovative partnerships and work that went into this designation will help the Ada region meet the demands of the private sector and create a more resilient economy for future generations.”

For more information about Pontotoc County’s CWE contact the Ada Jobs Foundation at 580.235.0070 or info@growada.com.

To learn more about Oklahoma’s Centers for Workforce Excellence visit oklahomaworkstogether.gov.

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