CareerTech Conversations

Oklahoma Department of CareerTech

Voices of the instructors, students, and businesses who make up the Oklahoma CareerTech system.

  1. 04/09/2021

    Season 2 Episode 2 - "Here's the Beef"

    Do you remember last year when meat was difficult to find? When the lockdowns went into effect, and major meat producers had to scale back production in the fight against COVID-19, many Oklahomans sought out local sources of meat. However, that highlighted a new problem: workforce shortages. In this episode, we examine Oklahoma's meat shortage and how teamwork from all over the state seeks to train more meat processors to prevent another shortage. We'll examine how Oklahoma lawmakers responded to the initial meat shortage  and began to expand the state's local processing capacity. We'll look into how CareerTech teamed up with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to train a new workforce in a partnership that paid dividends. We'll hit the road to check out high schools and tech centers adding meat processing to their curriculum. Check out the new Mobile Meat Processing Lab - a refrigerated semi-trailer converted into a classroom on wheels. A new Oklahoma-certified beef standard seeks to help farmers and ranchers market their meat directly to consumers. You can subscribe to our podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn or Stitcher or ask your smart speaker to play "CareerTech Horizon.” Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @CT_Horizon, or on Facebook to stay up to date with this ongoing project. Visit our website for show notes, episode trailers and bonus content "Beyond Your Horizon" at http://cthorizon.org Beyond Your Horizon: Articles, Videos, and Related Stories CareerTech Horizon Episode 2-1: "Challenges and Opportunities" in Agriculture Mobile Meat Processing Lab: Behind the Scenes (Facebook Video) Episode Video Trailer (Facebook) (Twitter) Classic Horizon Stories Local Food in Neighborhood Schools (2014) The Farm to School program not only exposed children to locally grown meat and produce, it also gave state farmers a new marketing avenue. Fighting Hunger... Feeding Hope (2015) The Food For Kids program gets a boost thanks to some young people whose love of livestock goes beyond the show ring. Made In Oklahoma - In Germany with Chef Kurt (2011) Travel to Europe and there is a fascination with the American West, not just out culture, but our food. One of the reasons a group of Oklahomans traveled to Germany to attend a giant food show and show off Made in Oklahoma products.

    31 min
  2. 02/03/2021

    "Challenges and Opportunites" in Agriculture

    Have you ever thought about where your food comes from? Have you thought about the processes and the people involved with getting it to your plate? In our Season 2 premiere, CareerTech Horizon takes a dive into Oklahoma agriculture, the challenges the industry faces and the new opportunities for people to get involved in it. State Agriculture Secretary Blayne Arthur gives us a look at the industry and how it fared during the pandemic. John Patrick Lopez of Lopez Foods tells us about food processing. Some things changed with technology, but he still needs hard-working people, too. OSU's Cynda Clary takes us through the many jobs available in agriculture, many of which don't involve farm work. CareerTech's Scott Nemecek explains how they are training the next generation of ag workers. Nikki Snider of the Oklahoma Pork Council works to bridge the gap between farmers and consumers. You can subscribe to our podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn or Stitcher or ask your smart speaker to play "CareerTech Horizon.” Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @CT_Horizon, or on Facebook to stay up to date with this ongoing project. Visit our website for show notes, episode trailers and bonus content "Beyond Your Horizon" at http://cthorizon.org Beyond Your Horizon: Articles, Videos, and Related Stories Trends and Employment Opportunities in Oklahoma Agriculture -- Full Panel Discussion with CareerTech Horizon's Rob McClendon Inside the Food Industry at Shawnee Mills -- CareerTech Horizon's Blane Singletary shows how STEM and food go together like peanut butter and jelly! My Oklahoma FFA Story -- Students interested in agriculture share how their experiences changed their lives. Classic Horizon Stories Hal Clark: Ag Environmental Stewardship [2017] -- Hal Clark has spent a lifetime raising cattle in the wide-open spaces and bitter extremes of our state’s panhandle. Rural Physician Shortage [2017] -- From Blue Coats to White Coats, FFA students are sought out to fill the medical needs of their rural communities. Devon Energy Invests in Agriscience [2015] -- FFA members bridge the gap between agriculture and STEM.

    29 min

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Voices of the instructors, students, and businesses who make up the Oklahoma CareerTech system.