Carrie Poole was born in Greenville, Miss. She attended Mississippi Valley State University and was a member of Alpha Chi, Alpha Kappa Mu and Sigma Tau Delta National College Honor societies. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in Journalism. Upon graduation, she became the first African American newspaper reporter of the Greenwood Commonwealth, in which she was a feature story writer.
In 1982, Poole relocated to Houston, Texas where she pursued employment in corporate America and has held positions in management, training and development. She began her career in post-secondary education and workforce training in 1990. This motivated her to further her career by attending The University of Houston where she received her Master of Science in Occupational Technology with emphasis in training and development in 1996. Since that time, she has established herself as an icon in the post-secondary education industry and has a broad background in educational leadership, accreditation standards, institutional compliance, program development and fiscal management. Poole has been successful in not only workforce training and re-training, but she has also been successful in finding career opportunities for students in tough labor market trends.
Poole is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Professional Career Training Institute (PCTI), a post-secondary vocational training school that opened its doors in 2002. Poole started the institution with a mere vision and an idea to embark upon a journey to open a state-of-the-art career training facility recognized for its commitment to lifelong learning, highly regarded for its commitment to students, economic growth, community partnerships and educational excellence, and is respected for its excellence in teaching. Her profound vision to supplement and support area employers with a highly trained and competent workforce while serving the cultural and civic needs of the communities became a reality that has now grown into a respected and diverse institution. Her goal was and continues to be responding to the changing needs of a highly technological society by providing skilled workers for business, trade and industry in the public and private sectors. Poole has been successful in securing major training contracts with Federal and State agencies. In 2008, she was successful in leading the institution to full accreditation by the Council on Occupational Education, Title IV certification by the U. S. Department of Education in 2009, and a successful accreditation reaffirmation in August 2014.
Poole is also founder and Chairman of the Board of Workforce Training and Development, Inc. (WTDI), a nonprofit corporation organized to fill the gap between education and funding streams and to provide resources and alternative solutions to individuals who desire to improve the quality of their lives.
Poole is a member of various local and national professional organizations that provide excellent education and support in occupational training and career development. She has served as a Visiting Team Member for the Council on Occupational Education for evaluation of career schools and colleges for accreditation. She is an NAACP life member, 2013/2014 Woman of the Year for the National Association of Professional Women, a member of the University of Houston Alumni Association, a member of the Association for Career and Technical Education, Career Schools and Colleges of Texas and the International Women’s Leadership Association.
Poole is an active member of The Church Without Walls with her husband, Joe Nathan Poole. Together they have two children, Cristala and Nicholas.
Carrie Poole, MSOT
Chief Executive Officer
Professional Career Training Institute
227 West Airtex Drive
Houston, TX 77090
832.484.9100
www.pcti.edu
