The Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development Celebrates Workforce Development Month

OKLAHOMA CITY – September is Workforce Development Month in Oklahoma and the state is highlighting successful efforts to build a strong talent pipeline. Hiring events, business engagement, and personal success stories are among the many ways Oklahoma plans to celebrate. The Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development (OOWD) will highlight these endeavors throughout the month of September as employers find skilled talent for business and job seekers find quality employment.

“We are seeking to make Oklahoma the top state for workforce development,” said Sean Kouplen, Secretary of Commerce and Workforce Development. “Oklahoma is open for business and we want to be the first phone call for any business whether they’re looking to expand, upskill their workers, or need any other workforce assistance.”

One of the events planned this month is OKMilitaryConnection’s Ft. Sill Hiring Event on September 12. In its seventh year, this event will feature nearly 50 employers and several veteran service organizations. Veterans as well as their spouses and children are invited to attend, not just from southwest Oklahoma, but across the state.

“Oklahoma’s dynamic workforce development system provides multi-faceted opportunities for job-seekers and employers,” said Don Morris, Executive Director of OOWD. “Oklahoma’s economy is growing and diversifying, but the State is still on target to experience a worker shortage of nearly 20,000 people by 2028. Access to effective workforce education and training programs are critical to supporting workers and expanding access to living wage jobs.”

OOWD oversees federal workforce funding via the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to seven workforce development areas across the state. Those seven areas provide workforce services at the local level including training, job search assistance, and education for thousands of Oklahomans each year. They also help connect businesses to a pool of skilled talent.

Each local workforce area is planning their own workforce development activities, including career fairs, resume assistance, and other activities.

Throughout September, OOWD will also feature stories highlighting Oklahomans finding employment and businesses finding talent on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. OOWD asks everyone to share their own workforce success stories on social media using the hashtag #OKWFDevMonth.