Meet Renae Burke, Administrative Assistant II located at the ODCTE agency in Stillwater, OK.
Written by Brandy Burns, Skills Center Employment & Transitional Coordinator.
In the beginning, there was only Renae. Well, that might be a SLIGHT
exaggeration, but Renae Burke has been with CareerTech for an astounding 31
years!
Although she was born over 100 miles away in Sulphur, Renae grew up in
Stillwater where she has made a home with her husband of 31 years, Vincent
Burke, and her two sons Wyndham and Brayden. No surprise that Renae is a
Cowboys fan since she attended OSU, her younger brother was an OSU football
player, and her son Brayden is currently attending as a sophomore.
Renae came to CareerTech in 1992 from the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce.
In the last 31 years, she has had many responsibilities and worn many hats but
you probably recognize her most from the travel system. However, travel is just
a small part of her day. Have you ever seen an agenda? Thank Renae. Have
you ever stayed in a hotel for an overnight work activity? Thank Renae. Have
you ever eaten a snack or had a drink at a Skills Center’s meeting? You guessed
it, thank Renae.
There isn’t time or room to list everything she has done for the Skills Centers, but one thing definitely deserves recognition. Recently, Renae spearheaded and coordinated the effort to digitize and archive all Skills Centers graduates’
certificates into the innovative ApplicationXtender Program. This years-long undertaking will save time and effort while also ensuring that graduates always
have expedited access to their earned certifications.
Renae will tell you that her favorite part about being with the Skills Centers is
that “the one thing that has been consistent both past and present is the
instructors and staff want to make a change in the lives of our students. Our
numbers show time and time again what we are about. I may not be in the
classroom myself, but the students I have encountered are appreciative of the
life changing direction of completing a trade and may be awed by the new
direction in life that they never considered”.
Renae’s wisdom from such a unique perspective definitely lends credibility to
the Skills Centers staff for having such a deep passion and drive for the work
taking place across Oklahoma’s prisons.
Next time you are in Stillwater, swing by the Administration area and say a
quick hello to Renae and let her know the appreciation we have for her 31 years
of exemplary service.
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