Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Workforce Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Claremore economic development staff reports $504,000 in scholarships and expands career programs
Summary
At the April 3 Claremore City Council meeting, economic development staff reported more than $504,000 awarded in scholarships, growth in a city career portal (233 companies, 431 jobs), and upcoming youth workforce events including a Rogers County Career Fair and an Elevate Young Adult Summit.
Miss Franks, the Claremore economic development staff member who presented the quarterly talent-development update, told the City Council on April 3 that the city and its partners have awarded more than $504,000 in scholarships, with phlebotomy listed as the top program.
"In total, we have over $504,000 in the scholarship funding amount that was awarded, with the top program being phlebotomy," Miss Franks said, summarizing the year’s awards and recent initiatives.
The presentation covered outreach efforts and recent events. Franks said the first student and part‑time job fair drew roughly 100 high‑school students from Claremore Christian, Sequoyah and Claremore High School and another 100 Northeast Tech students; about 20 members of the public also attended. The city’s career portal now features 233 companies, 431 visible job listings and 187 job‑alert subscribers, and portal activity spiked after Franks promoted the job‑fair events.
Franks described the Career Connections program, which works with Sequoyah Public Schools and Northeast Tech to bring industry partners into classrooms and to culminate in student‑led career expos, and previewed several upcoming events: the Rogers County Career Fair in May and the Elevate Young Adult Summit in June at Rogers State University.
Council members asked operational questions about the portal. When the mayor asked who can post openings, Franks said, "Anybody in the community," and explained that employers with a website can integrate postings automatically and the development team can add listings manually for employers without a site.
In remarks after the presentation, a council member praised the scholarship program funded in part with ARPA dollars, saying it has "changed the lives of hundreds of Rogers County people" and cited a placement and retention rate in excess of 70 percent.
Why it matters: The update highlights the city’s efforts to connect local employers with students and jobseekers, support industry pipelines (including the skilled trades), and promote events intended to expand local workforce participation.
Next steps: Staff will continue promotion of the career portal and the upcoming career fairs; council members were invited to serve as judges for student events and to refer employers who are hiring.
