Building Futures: HPTC Launches School Year Focused on Skills, Career Pathways, and Expansion.

High Plains Technology Center (HPTC) Superintendent Barclay Holt announced bold plans to expand post-secondary opportunities for Northwest Oklahoma, citing the increasing demand for skilled trades and workforce training.

“We have kicked off the school year with a lot of momentum,” Holt said. “You can’t turn on the news today without hearing about the need for skilled trades. Students need more hands-on application, and HPTC has been answering that call—beginning as early as sixth grade through our Technical Applications Program (TAP), and continuing through our daytime programs and Business & Industry services.”

In recent years, HPTC has seen major growth in high-demand areas such as Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN), Wind Energy, Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), Long-Term Care Aide, and Certified Medication Aide programs. Holt said the school is committed to doubling down on these areas while expanding new opportunities that keep rural Oklahoma self-sustaining.

“We want to train and retain our students,” Holt explained. “If you drive down 34th Street, you’ll see dirt moving because we’ve outgrown our space. Welding, construction, and diesel programs are at more than 100% capacity. To make room, we’re expanding facilities so we can add even more programs in the future. Program expansion areas of HVAC, electrical & plumbing, as well as other areas, are real possibilities.”

A generous gift this spring accelerated HPTC’s vision. Bobby and Brenda Alexander donated the Woodward Studio of Dance building, located just west of campus, to support the school’s post-secondary growth.

“The Alexanders believe in what we’re doing for Northwest Oklahoma, and their donation has given us a springboard to make this vision a reality,” Holt said. “But to fully deliver, we must continue addressing space, funding, and system structure. That’s what my staff and I have been working tirelessly to achieve.”

Holt emphasized that post-secondary training is not about choosing “college or nothing,” but rather expanding opportunities.

“For too long, the idea has been that a good life requires a college degree,” Holt said. “But nothing could be further from the truth. We don’t want students to have to choose between ‘this’ or ‘that.’ Instead, we want to create opportunities for ‘this and that’—multiple pathways to success.”

To drive this mission, HPTC has appointed Taylor Burnett, who previously led the Business and Industry department, to focus on Post-Secondary and Strategic Development. Burnett’s role is to develop short-term, rigorous programs—most of which are completed within a year—that are directly aligned with industry needs. Just as HPTC evaluates offerings in its full-time programs, Burnett and his team are identifying areas of potential program growth, including energy, agriculture, skilled trades, and heavy equipment operation, among other possibilities. The goal is to provide students with practical, workforce-ready skills in high-demand fields while ensuring programs are targeted, efficient, and impactful for both young adults and the current workforce in Northwest Oklahoma.

Taylor Burnett, HPTC Executive Director of Postsecondary and Strategic Development, shared: “What we’re building here at HPTC is more than classrooms or training—it’s a launchpad for possibility. Whether a student is just beginning to dream about their future or an adult is looking for a fresh start, we’re proving that opportunity can be created right here in our counties in Northwest Oklahoma. We’re not only preparing people for jobs, we’re preparing them for lives of purpose, stability, and growth.  And that’s a game changer for our communities.  Just as important, we’re creating the kind of energy and excitement that makes people want to stay, build, and thrive right here at home.”

Brent Haken, Oklahoma CareerTech State Director, highlighted the statewide importance of this work. “The role set for Oklahoma CareerTech has always been and will continue to be training skilled trades labor to enter the job market—serving local economies and communities with the workforce they need,” Haken said. “As the demand has skyrocketed in Oklahoma, I see more of a need than ever for all Oklahomans to buy into trades training. The people you depend on daily to keep life running need post-secondary training, and they need it from Oklahoma CareerTech. High Plains Technology Center serves as a model of innovation in northwest Oklahoma—committed to early exposure to careers, a deep dive into career training for high school students, and building robust adult training that meets the needs of their patrons. Our system prepares the nurses that care for your family, the folks that keep power on to your home, the professionals that keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. HPTC holds true to continuous improvement on the mission of being Oklahoma’s workforce leader, and I am thrilled with the innovation being sparked by community leaders partnering with this great school.”

Representative Kenton Patkowsky emphasized the critical role of CareerTech programs in supporting the region. “CareerTech education is absolutely essential for sustaining our rural communities,” he said. “Programs like those at HPTC are not just important—they are essential. We still need dentists and lawyers, but man, I really need mechanics, plumbers, and electricians too. Students and families should take a close look at CareerTech pathways, explore what they love, and find the opportunities that fit them best. College isn’t the right path for every student, and CareerTech is helping us discover the best fit for each young person, especially here in rural Oklahoma.”

Holt concluded by casting a strong vision for the future:

“The vision is there, the groundwork has been laid, and we gained a huge injection of momentum with the Alexanders’ donation this past spring,” Holt said. “But the fact remains, while HPTC and CareerTech are very blessed from a local revenue standpoint, statewide funding has lagged behind in the area of post-secondary opportunities for our citizens. Even so, with the support of our community and strategic planning, we are building a local workforce pipeline where young people can train, work, and raise their families here in Northwest Oklahoma. That’s the vision—and it’s one we’re pursuing aggressively in the months and years ahead.”

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