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MUSKOGEE - The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma's school-to-work program, Talking Leaves, has earned the second best rating for job placement of the 16 placement centers in the area, according to Sunny Nix, coordinator for outreach, admissions and placement. The CNO operates the program under a contract with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

In October of 1997, the DOL ranked Talking Leaves 108th out of 108 job programs across the U.S., resulting in the Byrd administration having to defend the program. Among the problems cited by inspectors were financial procedures and inventory control.

A 7.3 percent increase in funding by the DOL, is credited for not only helping the center to meet standards but also to exceed national standards in job placement. The increase in the number of vocational slots in the training programs are also credited with the new rating. The school-to-work training programs include fields such as office technology, electrical wiring, automotive repair, carpentry, and business.

Don Erdman, of the DOL, conducted a review of operations on the campus south of Tahlequah in mid-January. Erdman said, "The center is performing extremely well."

Tuition-free training is offered to people who are economically disadvantaged and between the ages of 16 to 24. American Indians make up about 80 percent of the 250 students. A new 12 million dollar facility was opened by the DOL in 1995 for the Talking Leaves program. The center found full time jobs for 71 out of 80 students between July and December of 1998.