More than 300 youth ages 16 to 21 from across northeast Oklahoma will converge at Pryor High School next week to take part in the Elevate Youth Summit that will focus on manufacturing and the variety of career options available in that industry.

Jeremy Bout from Edge Factor is Keynote Speaker

The Elevate Youth Summit is Tuesday, June 9 from 8:30 a.m., to 3 p.m., at Pryor High School, 1100 SE 9th St., and lunch will be provided. The cost is $25 per person, but full scholarships from MidAmerica Industrial Park are available.

OSU Institute of Technology Advanced Training Center at MidAmerica Industrial Park is one of several partners in the Northeast Oklahoma Workforce Investment Board that are working together to organize this year’s summit. Other organizations taking part in the event include Workforce Oklahoma and several area high schools, Thunderbird Youth Academy, Rogers State University and Northeast Technology Center.

“The summit started out as something inspirational and motivational to help young people explore their options and better determine what they want to do with their lives,” said Cassity Bixby, Outreach Specialist at OSUIT-MAIP. “This year we wanted to focus on various careers in manufacturing. We’ve found that students and young people just don’t fully understand the rewarding opportunities available in terms of manufacturing.”

Highlighting this year’s summit is keynote speaker Jeremy Bout, host and Executive Producer of web series Edge Factor, which features makers and manufacturers from across the country.

Bout will also moderate a discussion with two local successes employed in manufacturing-- Treyce Epps from Google and Casey Norris from HE&M Saw.

Participants also attend two of the eight manufacturing career panels offered during the day including Information Technology and Networking; Engineering; Production; Professional and Administrative; Metal Works & Machining; Environmental Health and Safety; Quality; and Maintenance, as well as a session on career readiness.

Attendees can also stroll through the vendor fair and learn more about area employers and career education opportunities like those found at OSUIT and OSUIT-MAIP.

“Manufacturing is so critical to our economy, but people don’t know all the different avenues you can pursue,” Bixby said. “We want a career in manufacturing to be a goal and not a backup plan.”

For more information about the summit or to register to attend, contact Sheila Walker at Workforce Oklahoma at 918.825.2582.