Governor Kevin Stitt is forming the Human Potential for Future Industries Task Force and is tasking it with finding ways to unite statewide workforce and education efforts. He’s tapping Education Secretary Nellie Sanders to chair the task force.
“We’re building the best workforce in the nation, and that means reimagining education to focus more on real-world experience and individual strengths of students in preparation for tomorrow’s industry needs. Investing in Oklahomans always pays off, because it’s Oklahomans who make our state the best place to live, work, and raise a family. I grateful for Secretary Sanders’ incredible vision and dedication to education and to the future of the Oklahoma workforce,” Stitt said.
The Task Force is charged with:
- Identifying tools to develop student talents early and align them with workforce opportunities.
- Researching and recommending ways to individualize and tailor curricula to the strength of the student while utilizing holistic teaching methodologies.
- Collaborating with industries, community organizations, and educational institutions for students to gain practical experiences, and define essential soft skills students need for future success.
- Expanding learning models by leaning into apprenticeships, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities.
- Evaluating teacher preparation by identifying upskilling needs within the teacher pipeline from K-12 through higher education.
Sanders is looking forward to tapping into the state’s potential.
“The current educational model isn’t built for the future, it’s barely built for the present. Our system isn’t tapping into the potential of every student, that’s what we’re setting out to change. Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and other emerging technologies can offer Oklahoma students a learning advantage. We’re going to explore ways to personalize curricula to interest, expand apprenticeship programs, and define universal soft skills so our students are ready to lead us into the future. Thanks to Governor Stitt’s leadership, we will discover, develop, and deploy human ingenuity across Oklahoma,” Sanders said.
The task force will report its findings to the Governor’s Office, House Speaker, and the Senate President Pro Tem on a quarterly basis.
