Ozarka College's Career Planning Services department will be conducting an Information Science Technology (IST) Industry Workshop at Ozarka - Ash Flat on March 14, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. Current and past Ozarka IST students, students and community members who are considering Ozarka's IST degree program, and high school students enrolled in related career and technical education programs are encouraged to attend.

The workshop will begin with panelist introductions, proceed into an open question and answer session between students and panelists, and end with an opportunity for students to network with these industry professionals. The following Industry professionals will share their knowledge of employment within that diverse field: Mike Troop, Director of Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care; Ed Kegley from Hillbilly Wireless; Sergeant Hoyt Harness, Arkansas State Police, Little Rock Troop A (retired); Scott Pinkston, Chief Information Officer for Ozarka College; and Blayne Stewart, IT and Marketing Consultant.

The goal of this event is to create awareness of the technical skills and soft skills students need to develop in order to maximize their employability within the rapidly expanding field of information science technology. The workshop will be co-facilitated by Ozarka College employees Ken Barton (IST Program Coordinator), Megan Scott Carpenter (Director of Career Planning Services), and Kendra Smith (Career Planning Mentor). Career Planning Services, funded by the Carl D. Perkins Grant, is a federal grant whose purpose is to develop the academic, career, and technical skills of high school and college students whom are enrolled in career and technical education programs.