New Year, New Opportunities

Rep. Brian Hill 

405-557-7333 

Central Oklahoma is growing at a rapid pace; especially Mustang, House District 47 and the  areas around us. We've spoken a lot about diversifying our economy, broadening our workforce,  investing in our roads and supporting education for our kids.  

Since taking the oath of office for the first time in November 2018, I have been witness to  massive changes in each of these sectors, for our community and throughout our great state.  

While making historic investments in education and infrastructure, we have also seen vast  developments in Oklahoma’s employment base and economic diversification. Job opportunities  now exist in industries that were merely starting or did not even exist in 2018. 

Startups and relocated companies now create jobs in many industries that previously did not exist  in Oklahoma. Businesses located in HD47 or employees of our Mustang neighbors are creating new workforce options for our families.  

Companies such as the automotive manufacturing facility Canoo, which is located in HD47, has  hired over 100 employees since opening in the previous Terex building, including students from  our Canadian Valley Tech robotics program. The industry-leading Kratos Defense factory  develops drones for our U.S. Military and is a significant element of our national defense and  aerospace growth. Many members of the Kratos team live in our community.  

Since 2020, Prairie Surf Studios has impacted our economy, facilitated thousands of jobs and put  Oklahoma on the world stage for film, while also working with our educators to produce the  skills needed for the jobs of future productions.  

Also launched in 2020, the OKC Innovation District now leads the biomed, biotech, and  biomanufacturing sectors in our state and stands on the front line of developing cutting edge  prosthetics and creating new pharmaceuticals with companies like Wheeler Labs.  

While these are only some of the many exciting innovations and career opportunities that have  developed over the last few years, there are a multitude of exceptional industries, both new and  mature, that are innovating in the market, expanding their footprint and expanding the job  opportunities for Oklahoma’s tomorrow. 

To better respond to the workforce needs of our Oklahoma employers, we created the Oklahoma  Workforce Transformation Task Force to identify key areas of improvement. We then  empowered the Oklahoma Workforce Commission to gather vital information from job creators  and educators of our workforce to ensure tax dollars are strategically being invested for a  successful and prepared workforce of tomorrow. By identifying the areas of greatest need and the  cost of certifications and degrees, we can help our kids and grandchildren be better positioned for  the economic opportunities of the future. 

Together, we are positioning our children and families for success, ensuring an environment  where they can thrive while building their dreams here in their home state of Oklahoma.  Together we will. 

From my family to yours, may God bless you with a very happy New Year! 

Rep. Brian Hill, a Republican, represents House District 47 in the Oklahoma House of  Representatives. His district includes portions of Mustang and Oklahoma City.

8/30/2021