For adult health careers, ICTC ‘is where it starts’

If there are those who may have considered pursuing a career in healthcare or have an interest in business and industry training, Indian Capital Technology Center was the place to be last week for the Sallisaw Chamber of Commerce monthly membership luncheon.

It was at that meeting that Fabiela Kemble, adult health careers recruiter/advisor for ICTC, and Kathy Adair, director of business and industry services/ adult career development, provided a blueprint for pursuing advanced education.

Talking about economic development and income potential, Kemble told business and community leaders, “This is where it starts.”

“When we talk about the impact that ICTC can have on our community economic development, this is the start. Indian Capital provides adult training.

“We all know with our history of Covid how much the landscape has changed in healthcare, and we’ve incorporated that transition in our curriculum,” Kemble said.

The primary programs on which ICTC focuses are:

• Practical nursing Practical nursing is available at all five campus locations — Sallisaw, Muskogee, Stilwell, Tahlequah and Coweta — and Kemble said it is ICTC’s most popular program, “and it’s really the biggest need across our state. With nurses being in high demand, we really provide the opportunity for them to learn and to grow.” She says prerequisites for the program are minimal. “We’re going to provide all the training, the curriculum, the guidance for them to be successful in a nursing career.”

• Radiology technology Radiology technology is a two-year program, and provides exposure to different kinds of technology, such as imaging and “techniques that are used today.”

• Physical therapist assistant Physical therapist assistant training allows students to utilize contemporary curriculum in an engaging clinical environment, providing them with the skills needed to help others reach maximum potential and independence.

• Occupational therapy assistant Occupational therapy assistant training utilizes rigorous curriculum with relevant fieldwork instruction in a variety of settings. Graduates work in hospitals, in-patient/outpatient rehab, long-term care and skilled nursing facilities, home health, school systems and community practice.

“Technology, it’s constantly changing. Everything in the field, we try to keep up with that,” Kemble said. “Being able to have that access to technology helps to close the gap on knowledge. And we want our students to be as prepared as possible.”

Kathy Adair

Adair spoke in broad terms, addressing some of the opportunities for adult career development.

She said ICTC offers classes like blacksmithing and knife edging — “which are fun classes to take” — as well as skills-based programs like paraprofessional, phlebotomy and nurse aide training. “We’re trying to prepare people to go work at the new veterans center,” she said.

Adair then set her sights on practical applications of ICTC’s business and industry training.

“We offer safety and health training, skillsbased training for our companies within our district — we’re currently working with the new company that has taken over the SLPT program (Millison Technology Co. Ltd.) — maintenance training and customized corporate training.”

Daryl Legg, District 6 Tribal Councilor for the Cherokee Nation, then shifted the focus to what the Tribe is undertaking in Sallisaw.

Daryl Legg

“There’s a lot of movement going on,” he said about activity along J.T. Stites Boulevard. “We have worked on these projects for many years now, and it’s finally coming to fruition.”

Legg described the housing development that’s underway, where “we’re putting in eight duplexes — so that’ll be 16 units — and we’ve got 12 new-home construction houses going right there.”

In addition, a childcare development center is planned. The 32,415-square-foot facility will be the result of a $24 million investment, Legg said, and will accommodate 130 students and create an estimated 55 jobs.

Carl Albert State College, which trains childcare development specialists, has partnered with Cherokee Nation Career Services “to get this done.”

“Everything we do in Sallisaw is a collaborative effort, whether it’s through ICTC, Carl Albert, Cherokee Nation, we’re all on the same page, and we all try to figure out how to get things moving,” Legg said.

The Nation is also building new restrooms at Brushy State Park, has contributed financial assistance for Sallisaw’s new aquatics center and skate park, and is developing an archery range.