Pioneer Technology Center hosted a meeting with Central Technology Center on September 25 to meet with local industry representatives and individuals interested in bringing Central Tech’s nationally recognized truck driving program to Ponca City.

The Director of Central Tech’s truck driving program, Robert McClanahan and the assistant director, Mark Brown presented information specific to the truck driver training program, as well as answered several questions from the audience. One point of interest that McClanahan shared was Central Tech’s 99.1% placement rate regarding students who successfully complete the program and are hired after graduation.

The Ponca City program is a 4 ½ week program. Classes will be held Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:3o p.m. A minimum of eight students will be needed to bring this program to Ponca City. However space is limited. If eight prospective students are qualified and have funding, the start date for the program will be November 7, 2007. An application must be completed to ensure that each candidate qualifies for program admittance.

Also present at this meeting were several representatives who could help with financial aid if an individual qualified. Representatives were Anne Marie DeHaas from the Ponca Tribe, Dorinda Howe from the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) office, and Mike Daugherty from Workforce Oklahoma’s Kay County Career Center. They each shared information about their agencies and the potential assistance available.

"Currently for the Kay County Career One-Stop area there are 22 job orders for truck drivers who have either their A or B CDL. We also have three job orders for other positions that will pay extra for a class A or B CDL. Truck driving positions are considered one of the ‘demand’ occupations listed by the North Central Workforce Investment Board," reported Mike Daugherty. State Representative, Ken Luttrell, also in attendance, echoed the need for the truck drivers in our area. In addition, Representative Luttrell updated the group on current issues that he is working on at the State Capitol.

PHOTO: Robert McClanahan, Director of Central Technology Center’s truck driving school, presents information to Kay and Osage County residents about their truck driver training program. This nationally recognized program is scheduled to be held with Central Tech’s partner, Pioneer Technology Center (PTC), November 7 through December 14 on the PTC campus. Jan Cherry, seated, is the Pioneer Technology Center coordinator for the program.