About Us

Northeast Tech is the #1 place for career training in Northeast Oklahoma. With campuses in Afton, Claremore, Kansas, and Pryor, we have locations all around our district.

Northeast Tech offers three main areas of training:

Full-Time Classes: Full-day and half-day (morning and afternoon) classes for both high school and adult students
Short-Term / Adult Education Classes: Short-term evening and weekend classes for all types of topics, from career training to personal interest
Business & Industry Services: Training for all workforce needs, from safety and industry training to Agriculture Business Management and small business consulting, we offer training for the needs of all businesses.

Northeast Tech is accredited by the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.

History of Northeast Tech

Northeast Tech (formerly Northeast Area Vocational-Technical School District Number Eleven) was formed by a majority vote of the people of Mayes, Craig, Rogers, and Ottawa counties on February 4, 1969. The first school board was comprised of Dave Huchison, Carl Mustain, Samuel Victor, Ralph Boatright, and Jack Kissee. Earl Kelly was hired to become the first superintendent of the district, and offices were established at 122 South Scraper in Vinita.

The board wanted to create two "area" schools that could serve the most students. So, in late 1969, sites near Pryor and Afton were chosen for the two campuses based on population, industrial proximity, and availability of utilities, police, and fire protection. The most significant consideration, however, was the distance students would have to travel. The 50-acre plot of ground north of Afton was purchased from Ogden Phipps for $50,000, and the 110 acres of ground west of Pryor was purchased from Mrs. Rhea Lawson for $33,000.

Funds needed to begin construction were obtained from the Economic Development Administration, the Ozarks Regional Commission, the State of Oklahoma, and local funds, in the form of an $821,000 bond issue which was passed by voters on June 23, 1970.

On September 22, 1970, Delaware County citizens from Grove and Cleora voted to join the Vo-Tech district, expanding the district to include all or parts of five counties.

Groundwork began at both sites on July 8, 1971. In December, contracts were made with Fritz Construction Company of Vinita for the construction of the "North" Campus at Afton, and with Peevy Construction Company of Tulsa for the construction of the "South" Campus at Pryor. Work on the buildings began in February 1972.

Both campuses opened their doors to students on August 27, 1973. Formal dedication services and an open house were held at each campus on September 23, 1973, with Senator Dewey Bartlett giving the address and performing the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the North (Afton) Campus. The Honorable Clem McSpadden, US House of Representatives, oversaw the honors at the South (Pryor) Campus. Approximately 1,000 patrons toured the newly opened facilities at each site.

The years that have followed have seen tremendous growth in the scope and outreach of Northeast Area Vo-Tech School, which changed its name to Northeast Vo-Tech Center in 1988 to better reflect the changing times and new direction of the school. On March 2, 1993, the voters of seven school districts in southern Delaware County voted to annex into the vo-tech district, bringing the total of school districts served up to thirty-eight in a five-county area. The "East" Campus in Kansas, OK, opened its doors to students on August 19, 1996, and formal dedication services were held on September 22. Due to the urging of business and industry, and to follow the guidelines set forth by the then-named Oklahoma Department of Vocational and Technical Education, Northeast again changed its name to Northeast Technology Center in the summer of 1999.

In 2007, plans to expand and build the fourth campus in Northeast Technology Center's district began. This campus would serve more students and assist in training businesses and industries in Rogers County. On Friday, November 30, 2007, the groundbreaking ceremony was held on the northeast corner of the campus grounds, located on Highway 88 just north of West Blue Starr Drive. The 43,500-square-foot facility was scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2009 and officially opened on June 12, 2009. The campus opened with five full-time programs as well as short-term evening classes. In January 2015, the new Administration Office opened on Elliott Street in Pryor, and the former home for administration in MidAmerica Industrial Park was converted into a Business & Industry Training Center. In 2017, the institution's name was shortened to Northeast Tech to better align with the CareerTech name at the state level.

Today, Northeast Tech serves students across eight counties with its four campuses in Afton, Claremore, Kansas, and Pryor. Each year, Northeast Tech trains over 1,200+ students in its full-time, daytime programs. Through Northeast Tech's Business & Industry Services, along with short-term night and weekend classes, almost 20,000 additional students are trained.