Freymiller, Inc. was honored at the Hilton Garden Inn in Edmond last night as Central Technology Centers 2023 Partner in Progress.  

The Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education (OkACTE) award recognizes businesses and industries that have made outstanding contributions to the improvement, promotion, development, and progress of career and technology centers in Oklahoma.  

For more than 50 years, Freymiller, Oklahoma City, Okla., has worked to earn a reputation of professionalism, integrity, and excellence in the transportation industry. The family owned and operated company began in Wisconsin before moving to California.  

After time and research, they made their final move to Oklahoma, a state focused on supporting the trucking industry.    

They were so appreciative of the support they received from Oklahoma they decided to return the favor. After a little innovative thinking, they devised a plan to repay the state that supported them. Founder Don Freymiller and son, David Freymiller, owner and chief executive officer, knew the plan must benefit Oklahoma, develop a workforce, and improve the truck driver shortage.  

After several meetings between Oklahoma CareerTech, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Governor Stitt, and Central Technology Center, the idea became reality. 

In 2019, Freymiller partnered with Central Tech, a statewide truck driving school, to complete the educational component of the plan. And the second chance program was born.  

Central Tech had been providing new drivers to Freymiller for several years. Now, with approval from the Department of Corrections, the truck driving school would train incarcerated individuals.  

“The second chance program focuses on transitioning justice-involved individuals into life after incarceration. The goal of the program is quite simple, break the cycle of reincarceration,” said John Thorpe, transportation and safety education director at Central Tech. 

Education is known to reduce recidivism. In fact, individuals who enroll in postsecondary education programs are 48% less likely to be reincarcerated than their peers who do not. 

“Once students successfully gain their Class A CDL from Central Tech and are released from prison, they have an employable skill in a needed industry,” said Thorpe. “Whether the graduate becomes a driver for Freymiller or another trucking company, students learn a trade, earn a great income, and begin their path to success.”  

Through the second chance program, Freymiller and Central Tech positively impact lives and provide an untapped pool of drivers to an industry currently short of 78,000 drivers throughout the country. 

To date, 156 justice-involved individuals have obtained their Class A CDL through the Central Tech Truck Driver Training course. Of those trainees, 49 have been employed with Freymiller. An additional 30 are awaiting release and their opportunity to pursue a career as a professional truck driver.  

Central Tech is proud to recognize Freymiller as their 2023 Partner in Progress. 

About Freymiller: For over 50 years, the Freymiller family has worked to earn a reputation for professionalism, integrity, and excellence in the transportation industry. Our founder, Don Freymiller, grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm. In 1968 he bought his first truck in an effort to better provide for his young family. By 1980, Freymiller Trucking boasted 56 trucks and was exclusively devoted to hauling temperature-controlled freight. Today, we are still family owned and operated, and maintaining our rich tradition of going the extra mile to keep every customer satisfied. 

What makes Freymiller different from other companies is our dedicated team of employees, drivers and contractors – each of whom works hard to give customers exceptional service, value and safety on every temperature-controlled load we transport. 

Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, we’re led by a dedicated group of professionals whose work maintains an environment which promotes innovative thinking and problem solving. We enjoy a strong family atmosphere along with an open-door policy; we know everyone by name and always strive to treat others as we would like to be treated. Every customer, truck driver and employee is backed by the strength of a half-century of experience and our solid, reliable financial position. 

In 2017, GasTech Engineering, LLC, a 32-year-old company, specializing in process engineering, design, and fabrication for the petroleum industry, relocated to Sapulpa, bringing 72 new jobs to the local area. 

After partnering with Central Tech’s BIS division in 2018, GasTech became the driving force behind the development of Central Tech’s 5 a.m., 3G code welding program. 

As GasTech grew, so did their needs for technical and employee training. GasTech has scheduled more than 3,000 contact hours of this training through Central Tech in 2020. Topics include overhead crane rigging and lifting, electronic controls systems, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, structural fabrication, pipefitting, workplace safety, environmental control, and hydraulics systems troubleshooting and repair.

Central Tech assisted GasTech in developing a safety committee, updating the company’s safety manual and documents, providing weekly employee safety meetings, and now provides new employee onboarding training. 

GasTech continues to see dividends from their workforce investment. Despite the Oil and Gas industry’s unpredictable nature, GasTech boasts a 20% growth rate since moving to Sapulpa. They now employ more than 120 employees and have increased their average employee tenure from 3.2 years to 4.7 years. Demographically, nearly half of their tradecraft workforce resides in or around the Sapulpa area.  

Central Tech is proud to honor GasTech Engineering as our 2020 Partner for Progress.

INDUSTRY PARTNERS GIVEN TOP AWARDS FROM CAREERTECH

Thousands of workers trained and employed through CareerTech partnerships with industry.

DRUMRIGHT OK – (April 8) The Oklahoma Association for Technology Centers recognized top industry partners for training and employing thousands of Oklahoma workers through CareerTech technology center programs last Wednesday at the annual Partners in Progress awards ceremony.

Central Technology Center selected Kenworth for their commitment to advancing career technical education through utilization of Central Tech’s programs, and through exemplary commitments to workforce excellence and education in the community.

State secretary for commerce, Sean Kouplen, who was on hand to congratulate award recipients said, “Partners in Progress represents a powerful alliance between CareerTech and employers to train Oklahomans and put them to work in quality jobs. Last year alone, almost 7,000 organizations took advantage of CareerTech training resulting in more than 350,000 enrollments statewide. That is a powerful step toward building a top ten state with skilled workers.”

Assistant superintendent for Central Tech, Kent Burris, said, “MHC Kenworth in Tulsa has been a tremendous asset to Central Tech as they have awarded sponsorships and jobs to many of our diesel students, in addition to, serving on our advisory board for diesel technology.”

Central Tech congratulates Kenworth and thanks them for elevating our students’ futures one job and one graduate at a time.

Pictured from L to R: Representative Ty Burns, Kent Burris, Ryan Wallace, Dennis Adamson, Earl Elliott, Senator Tom Dugger, Skye McNeil.

Stillwater Medical Center was named Central Tech’s Partner for Progress and honored at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City on February 23.

“Stillwater Medical Center is a valuable partner; helping our students connect training and clinical skills to employment,” said Ron Dyer, superintendent, Central Tech.

The Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education (OkACTE) Partners for Progress award recognizes businesses and industries that have made outstanding contributions to the improvement, promotion, development and progress of career and technology centers in Oklahoma.

“Stillwater Medical Center hires several medical assistant students, LPNs, phlebotomists, they’re all over our hospital. They are way above average; I would say exceptional. Their students are very viable in the workplace,” said Lea Brown, human resources coordinator, Stillwater Medical Center.

Central Tech and Stillwater Medical Center have had a significant partnership for many years. Stillwater Medical Center provides Central Tech students opportunities to receive valuable knowledge during clinical experiences, preceptor rotations, internships, and tours. These training opportunities have resulted in employment for many graduates; benefiting Stillwater Medical Center and Central Tech. Stillwater Medical Center employees serve on Central Tech’s program advisory committees; freely offering their professional expertise and time.

Central Tech is proud to have Stillwater Medical Center as a Partner for Progress, and congratulates them on this award. To learn more about Central Tech visit CentralTech.Edu.