Governor Kevin Stitt received final recommendations from the Workforce Transformation Task Force yesterday in a briefing from the Task Force's co-chairs Chad Mariska and President and CEO of the State Chamber of Oklahoma Chad Warmington.

"As more companies move to and expand in Oklahoma, I am committed to ensuring Oklahoma's workforce is prepared for the jobs of tomorrow," said Governor Stitt. "I appreciate the Task Force's work over the last few months and look forward to taking the next steps to improve workforce development in our state."

"This is a fundamental part of our broader economic development for the state. Workforce is a critical component to companies that are looking to expand into Oklahoma. The proposal that we've made in this report points out the way forward to improve our workforce and ultimately to grow our economy. It will help bring new businesses to Oklahoma," said Chairman Mariska.

Governor Stitt created the Workforce Transformation Task Force via executive order in January with the objective to pinpoint challenges in Oklahoma’s workforce development system and identify areas of improvement. Since creation, the Task Force has conducted expansive research, engaged in thoughtful conversations with industry leaders, and studied how other states have been most effective in this area, leading them to their final report.

"There is a lot of good work being done along Oklahoma's workforce pipeline, but there is nobody that walks into work every day with the job of coordinating the state’s workforce development entities. That needs to change. We're proud of and excited about the work we've done so far with the task force, and look forward to continuing to find workforce solutions to help Oklahoma prosper," said Warmington. 

Among other recommendations, the Task Force's primary takeaway is that Oklahoma needs a "single owner" of workforce development that serves as a statewide coordinating body for agencies and stakeholders involved in workforce and talent development. 

The Task Force’s recommendation can be read in full here.