SITE CONSULTANTS, ODOC AND OTHER MYSTERIOUS CREATURES...you will hear us mention the term "site consultants" or Department of Commerce staffers (that's the Oklahoma Department of Commerce or ODOC) and you may be overwhelmed with a sense of wonder, or just a big "so what?" Site consultants are people who are hired by companies to either find them the best place to expand, relocate, etc. or to evaluate places for the same thing. They tend to be clustered in big cities. We go see them from time to time for two reasons. The first is that they do nothing but talk to companies about what they need. This helps us, wait for it, understand what companies need. The second thing is that by staying in front of them (and this means seeing them frequently) they have Ponca City on the mind when they get a project that is interested in non-urban areas. ODOC staff people are important because a) all lives matter; and b) ODOC is often the front door to the state. Companies who are interested in a Mid America location but do not have a specific city in mind will often call ODOC and say "What do you have?" Keeping them in the loop is important so that they are ready to say "funny you should ask..."  

This week in the world of PoncaWorks has been rather exciting! PoncaWorks Manager, Sarah, got to attend the Dorada job fair held Tuesday, January 13^th, put on by the Oklahoma Workforce Office at Pioneer Technology Center.   There was a great turnout for the event and we are confident Dorada got some great employees from the day! Sarah got to meet County officials and tour some County properties with her Ponca City Leadership class on Wednesday.  Thursday she spoke with Newkirk seniors about job opportunities, smart college majors and job skills, and ended the week lunching and learning with a few local employers. Phew! We hope you had an exciting week as well, and as always- Ponca City has jobs. Now we just need you!