Pontotoc Technology Center has launched a $7.5 million workforce development program funded over five years by Oklahoma Human Services. The initiative is part of the Work Ready Oklahoma program.
Led by Program Director Cassie Burrows, Program Manager Callie Thronebury, and Job Coach Kim Paxson with administrative support from Amy Watkins, the program will offer workshops tailored to low-income individuals and families, the historically unemployed or underemployed, low-skilled workers, and those with a criminal background.
At least 75 community members will be served in the program’s first year at the new Work Ready Oklahoma Employment Center in Ada. Recruitment begins in August 2024, with services starting in September.
“Work Ready Ada is committed to strengthening families by helping low-income individuals gain livable wages through stable, quality employment,” Cassie said. “This approach not only prioritizes financial and family stability but also contributes to the growth and vitality of our local community.”
Work Ready Oklahoma has operated successfully in the Oklahoma City metro area for eight years. In 2022, it expanded to rural Oklahoma, opening centers in McIntosh, Muskogee and Pittsburg counties. Those pilot programs placed 164 individuals in jobs, with 60% landing remote positions, between January and October 2022. This effort generated an estimated $6 million in annual wages.
Each Employment Center will feature a co-working space and offer ongoing coaching and support for remote workers. The program also provides training and employment initiatives to prepare participants for self-sufficient careers. Services are free to participants thanks to Oklahoma Human Services funding.
Work Ready Ada’s priorities include:
Equipping vulnerable Oklahomans with information, coaching and connections for self-sufficiency.
Assisting low-income Oklahomans in finding and maintaining consistent, gainful employment within the community.
Establishing connections between Oklahomans and a network of livable-wage job opportunities, both virtually and through local partnerships.
Providing access to training programs and employment initiatives to enhance self- sufficiency and promote stable, healthy families.
Collaborating to ensure resources from SNAP Employment C Training programs, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programs and other funded employment programs are available to low-income families.
Learn more about the program at
www.workreadyoklahoma.com or follow WRO, Ada on Facebook.
Pontotoc Technology Center was established in 1987 and is a public career and technology education center located in Ada, Oklahoma. PTC is committed to anticipating needs and educating their customers to provide a trained workforce in Oklahoma.