The Rogers County Technical Training Program is currently analyzing preliminary survey results, revealing significant insights into its efficacy in connecting low-income students with employment opportunities, although not always directly within their field of study. This ongoing assessment aims to refine the program’s impact on local workforce development.
Initiated in 2023 by Claremore Economic Development, this innovative scholarship program has already provided full academic scholarships to several hundred predominantly low and moderate-income students at Rogers State University and Northeast Tech. Its inception marked a strategic effort to bolster regional talent pools.
To date, the program has impressively disbursed $341,742.41, a testament to its scale and commitment. These vital funds are sourced from state Community Development Block Grants, allocated to Rogers County and Claremore by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, ensuring a robust financial foundation for its initiatives.
Meggie Froman-Knight, the executive director of Claremore Economic Development, recently presented these crucial preliminary findings to the Rogers County Commissioners. The data stems from surveys distributed to the program’s initial 178 scholarship recipients, with a strong response rate of approximately 105 returned questionnaires.
A significant majority of scholarship recipients have pursued training in either healthcare or manufacturing, aligning with Rogers County’s largest economic sectors. The survey data indicates that approximately 80% of respondents secured employment, though a smaller subset, 62%, found jobs directly matching their scholarship-funded training.
Froman-Knight acknowledged that while the overall employment rate is positive, the 62% job-matching figure is an area targeted for improvement. She emphasized the aspiration to elevate this percentage closer to 80%, ensuring students transition seamlessly into careers directly aligned with their specialized training, thereby maximizing the scholarship’s return on investment.
The long-term sustainability of the program is a key discussion point, particularly as the current CDBG funding is not perpetual. Claremore Economic Development is actively collaborating with the Rogers County Commissioners to devise strategies for securing ongoing financial support, underscoring the necessity of continued funding for the scholarship’s success and expansion.
Commissioner Ron Burrows has articulated a desire for quantifiable data on the scholarship’s broader economic impact, including potential increases in recipients’ incomes and an assessment of its qualitative influence on community quality of life. The program specifically targets Rogers County residents, with 60% of respondents securing local employment, which is viewed as a positive indicator for local retention and prosperity.
Further supporting the program’s reach, Froman-Knight shared recent statistics from a study commissioned with Lightcast Professional Services. Their portal currently lists 450 job postings from 238 companies, attracting 5,716 unique page visitors in the last month, demonstrating the active engagement of the local job market.
