Tesla + Tulsa Higher Education = A Winning Combination
Tulsa has been named a finalist for a new Tesla Gigafactory, and Tulsa residents agree that the economic impact would be beneficial.
Jim Sluss, dean of the OU-Tulsa Graduate College, penned a Tulsa World editorial and stated that the higher education community stands ready to provide the high-tech workforce Tesla will need to ensure a sustainable future.
“In my role as an engineering professor and university administrator, I think about the fact that many of these new jobs will require a highly skilled, high-tech workforce – engineers, computer scientists and technologists – which can be found today in the classrooms and laboratories of our comprehensive research universities, regional universities, community colleges and technology centers,” Sluss wrote. “More jobs from Tesla will translate into more opportunities for recent college graduates and help us to keep this young, vibrant workforce in Tulsa.”
The iconic Golden Driller has undergone a change to show Tulsans’ support of a Tesla factory. The statue has been painted to look like Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and a large Tesla logo on has been added to its chest.
By Bonnie Rucker
Article Published: Wednesday, June 3, 2020