Tulsa Tech Program Aims To Fill Worker Shortage For Machining Industry

Tulsa Tech instructors still have openings for many of its training programs and they said now is the perfect time to sign up because there is a big demand for certified employees right now.

Machining instructors said most of their students have job offers before finishing the program and about 90% of the offers are in the Tulsa area.

“It’s not just a job. This is a passion or this is a lifelong investment that I have in Baker Hughes and then also now into Tulsa Tech because one of the things I get to do is I get to look for future talent," said Justin Eckle.

Eckle graduated from Tulsa Tech's machining program about 20 years ago. David Patrick graduated from the program in 2018.

“I came into this class with absolutely zero knowledge of everything about machining. I came from working at a fast-food and wanted a difference," said Patrick.

Eckle and Patrick both work for Baker Hughes in Broken Arrow, building safety valves for oil rigs. Dozens of companies are turning to Tulsa Tech looking for machine operators.

“Despite the pandemic and everything that is going on we have become a very much needed essential employee and industry in our community because your electricity is always running, the natural gas is always going. You always have a machine that needs to run so it can make parts for these bigger machines than these bigger manufacturing plants. They have to have them," said Aaron Runk.

Runk is one of the machining instructors and said the biggest need in the industry right now is employees. He said everything from household items, to vehicles, and oil rig parts come from a machine that needs an operator. “You feel like you’re actually doing something saving lives, doing something important for the world. You’re not going there to make little rings for toys. You’re going there to make something that means something through the whole world," said Patrick.

For more information about the Tulsa Tech Machine Technician Program HERE