Oklahoma State University, WOSTEP's American partner - Training - Echoes

Oklahoma State University, WOSTEP’s American partner

WOSTEP’s first partner in the US, Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee is also the latest to see its partnership confirmed. Indeed, last September the Neuchâtel institution coordinated a $1.1 million grant put forward by Audemars Piguet, Breitling, Richemont and the Swatch group for the American university, which implements the WOSTEP study programme.

"Thanks to this partnership, our university benefits from a unified training programme and the evaluation of a neutral and independent body," explained instructor Stanley McMahan. "And by constantly refreshing their knowledge, staff maintain recognised standards of quality."

While WOSTEP has partnerships with four other schools in the United States (in Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington State), Oklahoma State University stands out for its long watchmaking tradition. After the Second World War, the American government decided to provide veterans with training to help them back into the workplace. In 1947, the first watch repair lessons were given in Okmulgee, a military site. "These were basic courses on how to repair all types of watch," says Stanley McMahan with a smile. "We’ve come a long way since then. And since our first partnership with WOSTEP in 1994, we’ve really concentrated on luxury watches." Now when students at Okmulgee, Oklahoma learn their trade, they do so with the leading Swiss brands. K.S.■

www.wostep.ch

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