Miami, Oklahoma –Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO), in collaboration with Chief Ron Sparkman of the Shawnee Tribe, received notification from Senator James Inhofe that they were recipients of an $800,000 Federal grant from the United States Department of Education. The partnership was selected based on their commitment to education.
This particular grant is designated for NEO’s Process Technology (PTEC) program. The first PTEC classes were started at NEO in 2010 and have been met with great enthusiasm by area companies and students becoming involved. The programs are also becoming a trending educational tool nationwide, fostered initially by industry demand, and now fueled by it.
Dr. Mark Grigsby, chair of NEO’s math and sciences department, heads up the PTEC program for the college.
Grigsby said, “Through the two-year program, students can receive an associate’s of applied science degree in process technology, which prepares them to essentially walk into careers as process technicians with very little in-house training by the company.”
The PTEC program is offered at NEO and other campuses across the country in an effort to prepare students for careers as process technicians (also known as operators) in fields like the oil and gas industry, chemical manufacturing, power generation, water and waste treatment, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and food and beverage production, to name a few. The process control trainer is just one example of the type of equipment utilized in training students in PTEC programs.
Now, through this incredible $800,000 Department of Education grant made possible in collaboration with the Shawnee Tribe, the PTEC program will be able to take some much-needed steps forward in its ability to train students for job placement, as well as educate students about the program’s availability.
The Shawnee Tribe, whose administrative headquarters are based in Miami, Okla., agreed to work with NEO to obtain the grant over a two-year period.
The grant will allow NEO to take the PTEC program to the next level in a number of ways, including allowance for $146,000 in new equipment. Much of the equipment needed for the program comes with a lofty price, an example of which is the process trainer. The six-figure-plus price tag the trainer came with was an incredible bargain given the number of lives and dollars it can potentially save in the years ahead. But because of the expense, the college has not been able to purchase some additional equipment that would help greatly in teaching its PTEC courses.
Grigsby says with the grant funding, they are hoping to purchase a distillation unit, which will allow teachers in the program to explain the principles of distillation, a common process in oil and gas companies. They are also considering some cut-away units. These pieces of equipment include different types of pumps and valves with half of the outer casing removed so students can see the working parts and observe how they function.
“The Shawnee Tribe’s grant comes with great timing. As the need for process technicians increases, the need for a well-developed program will continue to be important,” said NEO A&M President Dr. Jeffery Hale. “This grant will allow NEO to partner closely with the Shawnee Tribe to play a pivotal role in enhancing native student success and prepare employees for the workforce.”
An important feature of the grant for NEO and the Shawnee Tribe is the opportunity it will provide for the recruitment of Native American students to the PTEC program. Money for recruiting Native American students into the program will be made available, including funding for scholarships. There will also be funding for summer camps for high school students and teachers, allowing them the opportunity to get a glimpse of the equipment and campus first-hand and to see the potential career opportunities in manufacturing.
Grigsby explained that another critical need the grant will meet is funding for a full-time instructor for two years. Currently, adjunct instructors teach the program. And, money is also designated for a position that can serve as a dual counselor-recruiter role. Grigsby says this role, in particular, would be vital for the program given it is new and there are many students that could benefit from the education it could provide, but are unaware it is available.