Oklahoma Aluminum Firms to Hire 1,200 New Employees

Local manufacturers are launching specialized training programs to secure the labor needed for new Inola-area facilities.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Jobs — General

Stack of raw metallic aluminum ingots on a clean concrete floor in a vast, modern industrial warehouse. — Oklahoma Primary Aluminum and U.S. Aluminum are preparing to hire 1,200 employees for new smelting facilities in the Port of Inola. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Oklahoma Primary Aluminum plans to hire 1,000 employees for a new smelter at the Port of Inola, with U.S. Aluminum adding 200 roles at a nearby facility. Educational institutions are currently developing specialized training programs to supply the labor needed for these smelting and manufacturing operations.

Why it matters

The massive influx of 1,200 direct jobs, paired with 6,000 projected indirect positions, necessitates a rapid shift in regional workforce development. Companies are proactively partnering with colleges to ensure a pipeline of skilled labor is available by the time construction completes.

The project involves 1,000 hires for Oklahoma Primary Aluminum and 200 for U.S. Aluminum, with an estimated 6,000 indirect jobs created across the region. Rogers State College is leveraging its $35 million STEM lab to support the labor needs of these industrial entrants.

The players

Oklahoma Primary Aluminum

An industrial developer planning to establish a large-scale aluminum smelting operation at the Port of Inola.

Tulsa Innovation Labs

A regional development organization focused on economic growth and workforce training programs.

Rogers State College

A higher education institution managing a $35 million STEM lab to support local industrial technical training.

U.S. Aluminum

A manufacturing company planning to build a new facility in Inola.

The details

Oklahoma Primary Aluminum and U.S. Aluminum are working directly with regional educational institutions and Tulsa Innovation Labs to build a workforce. Schools are tailoring their curriculum, including a new 3-year degree program at Rogers State College, to align with the specific technical requirements of the aluminum smelting and downstream manufacturing processes.

Next year: Oklahoma Primary Aluminum expects to break ground on the smelter site.
Next fall: Rogers State College plans to launch a new 3-year degree program.

Market Landscape

The labor expansion represents a significant scaling of the Port of Inola development initiative. It shifts the local industrial landscape from infrastructure investment to operational labor capacity.

Operators in the region should monitor the new degree programs for potential talent acquisition while evaluating their own supply chain readiness for increased local demand. Businesses should prepare for increased competition for labor as the 1,200 primary positions begin to hit the market.

The takeaway

The entry of two major aluminum firms creates a substantial labor demand that requires close coordination between local manufacturers and educators. Business owners should track the progress of the 3-year degree programs as a signal for when specialized technical talent will enter the regional market.