As the new Electrical Technology training facility takes shape on Kiamichi Tech's Durant campus, it is more than steel, concrete and conduit coming together. It's a full-circle moment. 

Just a few years ago, Harold Coats and Case Viss were students in Kiamichi Tech's Electrical Technology program in Atoka, learning how to bend conduit, interpret blueprints and navigate the National Electrical Code. Today, they're part of the Jefco crew building the training shop where future electricians will begin their own careers, and the connection is not lost on them. 

"It's really cool getting to come in here and actually put together what we learned on," said Viss. "This is almost identical to what we had in our shop as students." 

The construction superintendent overseeing the project is also a Kiamichi Tech graduate, having completed the Durant Welding Technology program. Multiple alumni are now helping build the next generation of workforce education, a powerful example of Oklahoma's skilled workforce staying local and giving back to the communities where they first learned their trade.  

"Kiamichi Tech exists to prepare people for success, and seeing our graduates return to help build opportunities for the next generation is exactly why we do what we do," said Superintendent Shelley Free. "These are talented professionals choosing to build careers in southeast Oklahoma, strengthening our communities and creating opportunities for the students who will follow in their footsteps." 

Building a Foundation 

For electricians, craftsmanship begins long before stepping onto a jobsite. It starts with understanding the National Electrical Code. 

Before Coats and Viss could help build classrooms where future electricians will learn, they first had to master the fundamentals. At Kiamichi Tech, students learn the code that governs safe, quality electrical installations. This knowledge becomes the foundation for a successful career and an important step on the path to journeyman licensure. Coats remembers one classroom exercise more than any other. 

"We would do four or five code questions every day," he said. "We'd have to recite the code or find it in the book and write it down, so we'd remember what it is." 

Knowing the code gets graduates started. Doing quality work is what earns trust in the industry. 

During a recent walkthrough of the new facility, architect Michael Riley noted the precision of the electrical installation before learning who completed the conduit work. 

"These young electricians have not been doing this long, but to know they are products of Kiamichi Tech and to see their work, it is really something to be proud of," Riley said. 

That recognition speaks to something larger than technical ability. It reflects the professionalism, attention to detail and craftsmanship employers expect and that these Kiamichi Tech graduates already demonstrate. 

Learning by Doing 

Coats wasn't always planning to become an electrician. 

A 2022 graduate of Caney High School, he first enrolled in welding before hearing Kiamichi Tech was launching a new Electrical Technology program. He joined the inaugural class, becoming one of the program's first graduates in 2023. 

"In welding, I was just welding pipe all day," Coats said. "In electrical, it was always something new, new projects all the time." 

That variety confirmed he had made the right choice. 

Viss, an Atoka High School graduate who completed the electrical program in 2025, found some of his most valuable lessons came while working on real projects across campus. 

"Going to different classes, having to fix a light or add something new, gave me good in-the-field experience," he said. 

When asked what best prepared him for the workforce, his answer was simple. 

"Just getting out there in the shop and doing the work. You've just got to keep learning and figuring out how things work." 

Both graduates credit instructor Cooie Potts for preparing them well beyond the classroom. 

"He was looking to help all the time," Viss said. "He helped us make those industry connections." 

Viss began working for Jefco during the summer between his junior and senior years of high school and continues with the company today. Coats also joined Jefco after graduation, where both are gaining valuable field experience while working alongside seasoned professionals. 

The Next Step 

Their education didn't stop at graduation. As Kiamichi Tech Electrical Technology graduates, both Coats and Viss entered the workforce with 1,000 hours already counting toward the hours required for Oklahoma journeyman licensure. Every day on the job moves them one step closer to earning that credential. 

"About three or four years, you should be getting pretty close," Coats said. "I'm getting pretty close. Then it's getting back to the code book and all the other books we went through in class. Now that we've been doing the work and we've seen this before, we'll be ready. It starts clicking." 

Today, Harold Coats and Case Viss are building more than an Electrical Technology shop. They're helping create opportunities for future students, supporting local industry and investing their talents where they matter most, right here at home. Their work is proof that when communities invest in workforce education, those graduates often give back in ways that last for generations.