CareerTech Horizon 2-2: “Here’s the Beef”

Do you remember last year when meat was difficult to find?

When the lockdowns went into effect, and major meat producers had to scale back production in the fight against COVID-19, many Oklahomans sought out local sources of meat. However, that highlighted a new problem: workforce shortages.

In this episode, we examine Oklahoma’s meat shortage and how teamwork from all over the state seeks to train more meat processors to prevent another shortage.

  • We’ll examine how Oklahoma lawmakers responded to the initial meat shortage  and began to expand the state’s local processing capacity.
  • We’ll look into how CareerTech teamed up with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to train a new workforce in a partnership that paid dividends.
  • We’ll hit the road to check out high schools and tech centers adding meat processing to their curriculum.
  • Check out the new Mobile Meat Processing Lab – a refrigerated semi-trailer converted into a classroom on wheels.
  • A new Oklahoma-certified beef standard seeks to help farmers and ranchers market their meat directly to consumers.

You can subscribe to our podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, TuneIn or Stitcher or ask your smart speaker to play “CareerTech Horizon.”

Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @CT_Horizon, or on Facebook to stay up to date with this ongoing project. Visit our website for show notes, episode trailers and bonus content “Beyond Your Horizon” at http://cthorizon.org

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TRAILER — CTH 2-1: “Challenges and Opportunities”

Host and producer Blane Singletary on the set of CareerTech Horizon

Head over to our Facebook or Twitter to see the video version of this trailer!

In the lead-up to CareerTech Horizon’s Season 2 debut, producer Blane Singletary takes you behind the scenes, onto the set of the show, to talk about how the pandemic changed the way the shows were put together.

We also talk about our next episode about how Oklahoma’s agriculture industry went through its own trials, as many in the state faced a food shortage. Through these difficult times, however, new opportunities have emerged, and a variety of jobs are available for those willing to step up.

Subscribe to the show with your favorite podcast app or platform. Or, ask your smart speaker to “Play CareerTech Horizon.”