[Adobe Stock]
Jay Shidler, Advanced Technology and High Growth Start-Ups Project Manager with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, said Google’s reinvestment is drawing broader attention to the state’s tech footprint: it “will absolutely have other companies around the world wanting to know what is happening here.” He noted the existing Pryor campus is already among Google’s largest and argued the added capacity boosts Oklahoma’s visibility in research and talent pipelines. “This will attract new students and researchers from across the world, particularly to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, as top students and faculty compete to be part of what’s happening in Oklahoma and the educational and industry platforms being built here.”
Shidler linked that visibility to near-term training needs, arguing Google’s build should move in parallel with expanded education and workforce programs. “It’s in Google’s best interest to partner with the state to help educate and train its future workforce, and that education will attract net new skillsets that people want to adopt,” Shidler continued.
Think of this as the digital transformation 3.0. A.I. is becoming an extension of the workforce as workers integrate A.I. into their day-to-day tasks.
Beyond compute, Oklahoma’s recent deal flow points to a widening aerospace and defense base: Firehawk Aerospace detailed a $22 million investment in Lawton; Kratos Defense plans a new advanced manufacturing site in Bristow; CBC Global Ammunition selected the state for a $300 million facility; and Vudoo Gun Works is relocating its headquarters and manufacturing to Prague with an $8.3 million investment. The pipeline also includes Emirates Global Aluminium’s proposed $4 billion plant. These announcements layer onto existing assets, including five military installations and large maintenance, repair and overhaul operations at Tinker Air Force Base and American Airlines in Tulsa, suggesting near-term expansion in testing, production, and MRO capacity if projects proceed on their stated timelines.
Shidler added that Oklahoma’s defense footprint underpins the manufacturing pipeline, calling the state “a hub for national defense,” with “five military installations.” It is also home to the world’s largest commercial airline maintenance base (American Airlines in Tulsa) and the U.S. Department of Defense’s largest MRO complex (Tinker AFB). Shidler said firms including Firehawk, Kratos, and [CBC] Global Ammunition are choosing the state for “low cost of doing business, affordable energy, and [a] long history of supporting the military.”
He then shifted to the talent base, citing enrollment highs and projected aerospace degree completions as leading indicators for retention. “Research starts with two things: the education ecosystem in the state and retaining the students it produces,” Shidler said. “This year, both the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University announced their largest incoming freshman classes in history. In addition, Oklahoma’s colleges and universities project more than 18,000 aerospace-related degree completions between 2022 and 2026. The state’s recent wins and record-setting capital investment announcements are key to retaining those students. When graduates have high-quality jobs waiting for them after they finish school, they don’t have to move to another state to find work.”
