NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – Oklahoma faces a growing demand for skilled engineers. To help bridge the gap, the Gallogly College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma hosted the Oklahoma Engineering Futures Fair on March 6, connecting more than 200 engineering students with 26 companies from across the state.
The inaugural event, held at the ExxonMobil Lawrence G. Rawl Engineering Practice Facility, aimed to create direct pathways from college to the Oklahoma engineering workforce. Randa Shehab, Ph.D., senior associate dean of the Gallogly College of Engineering, emphasized the importance of such initiatives in addressing the state’s workforce needs.
“The Oklahoma Engineering Futures Fair is a step toward meeting the workforce needs of our state while providing OU engineering students pathways to rewarding engineering careers within Oklahoma,” Shehab said. Legislative efforts, like House Bill 2260 and the aerospace industry engineer workforce tax credit, also play a key role in addressing the state’s shortage of engineers, she said.
Travis Hyde, vice president and director of power engineering at Guernsey, said the state has a growing need for electrical engineers. “The demand for electrical engineers has never been greater – especially in the power industry, where we need skilled professionals to modernize the grid, integrate renewables and ensure reliable energy,” he said. He stressed the importance of continued investment in engineering education to sustain the industry’s growth.
For students, the fair provided a direct connection to employers. Colby Frison, an OU engineering student from Katy, Texas, found the experience invaluable.
“I learned a lot about each company and gained great practice talking to recruiters,” Frison said. “I would love to work in Oklahoma in the near future.”
Frison, a computer science major said the state’s lower cost of living is a key factor in considering employment opportunities here.
Companies represented at the fair included Carrier Enterprise, CF Industries, Climate Control Group, Cowan Group Engineering, CP Kelco, FSH Architects + Engineers, Garver, Great Southern Technologies, Greenheck Group, Keller North America Inc., Kimley-Horn, MacArthur Associated Consultants, McClelland Consulting Engineers Inc., Myers Engineering, North Star Scientific, Oklahoma State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, Oklahoma Water Resources Board, PACCAR, Parkhill, Poe & Associates, R.B. Akins Company, Spirit Aero Systems, Standard Testing and Engineering, U.S. Navy, Wallace Design Collective, and WSB & Associates Inc.
To learn more about the Gallogly College of Engineering, visit ou.edu/coe.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
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