Having the opportunity to gain practical resume building skills and interviewing experience can help give young people the head start they need to be successful as they enter our ever-changing workforce landscape. One way which EmployIndy helps guide these efforts is through Talent Bound, our vehicle to provide students in Marion County with access to authentic work-based learning experiences. 

On Wednesday, July 7th, EmployIndy had the opportunity to partner with and host TeenWorks, whose mission is to empower teens to achieve excellence in community, college & career. TeenWorks brought 11 students to EmployIndy’s downtown office where they participated in Talent Bound “Talent Prep” activities that included resume-building exercises, mock-interviews as well as learning more about Project Indy and the Modern Apprenticeship Program (MAP).

“We’re happy that TeenWorks invited us to be a part of this event and we enjoyed the opportunity to expose these students to Talent Bound opportunities, while also helping them prepare their resume and enhance their interview skills,” Said Matt Simpson, Talent Bound Manager, High Schools. During the event, each student participated in at least two mock interviews with EmployIndy staff as well as worked closely with EmployIndy staff to learn practical ways in which they can build a resume that stands out.

To learn more about how Talent Bound partners with local organizations to help prepare Marion County young people to enter the future workforce, visit: www.talentbound.org.

JAG (Jobs for America’s Graduates) Indy programs held their Senior Send-Off at Garfield Park on Tuesday, June 22nd. This annual event recognizes JAG program seniors as they transition to furthering their education  or entering the workforce. The celebration included games, food, a raffle with prizes, and a catered snow-cone truck, all with the opportunity to celebrate with fellowship. 

EmployIndy recognized both students and employers with awards for their work throughout the program. Rosalea Rodrigues, a 2021 JAG graduate from Arsenal Technical High School, was selected as this year’s recipient of the Jessica Brown Memorial JAG Award. EmployIndy initiated this award four years ago to honor beloved colleague, Jessica Brown, who passed on April 18, 2018. Recipients of this award are students who exemplify Jessica’s selfless personality and passion for volunteering. Rodrigues’s commitment to giving back shined as a true testament to the compassion and generosity Jessica brought to our community. 

In addition, Beatrice Beverly with Stop the Violence Indy was honored with the JAG Employer Engagement Award of Excellence for her outstanding partnership with our local JAG programs. Further employer partners such as the Marriott, Partners Personnel, and Chic-fil-A contributed prizes and food along with  job opportunities for JAG’s class of 2021. For more information on JAG Indy programs, visit https://employindy.org/youth-services/jag/. 

As the anticipation of summer break continues to grow for students and families across Central Indiana, many are looking for employment opportunities and ways to connect with local employers during the break. On June 1st, EmployIndy hosted a career fair at George Washington High School (GWHS) aimed at engaging young people with local employment opportunities. Nearly 180 high school students were served during the career fair, providing onsite networking for students with twelve community employers, including Waffle House, Walgreens, Ransburg YMCA, EmployIndy, Donatos Pizza, Crew Carwash, and Indy Parks and Recreation.

During the 4-hour event, EmployIndy staff also assisted 92 students in signing up for Mayor Joe Hogsett’s Youth Jobs Initiative, Project Indy, as well as conducted mock interviews with 45 students as a part of EmployIndy’s Talent Bound curriculum, entitled Talent Prep. Through Talent Prep, young people are prepared for real-world workplace experiences and given confidence as they navigate into the workforce. 

“We were encouraged to see a great employer turnout and for us to have the chance to support the students who selected ‘employment’ as their 3E option,” said Mechelle Polter, Director of Talent Bound. “It was great working with the George Washington faculty as well as being able to provide connections to summer employment opportunities for the younger students.” Through this and similar youth career fairs such as one that was hosted two weeks prior at GEO Academies, EmployIndy aims to promote job equity amongst the local youth population as well as connect community employers to a diverse group of students and prospective employees. 

Lastly, students at the June 1st event were also introduced to the Modern Apprenticeship program at GWHS. This competitive program provides students with the opportunity to complete their high school degree, earn industry-recognized certification, and gain college credits all while being paid over $13/hour and working in a high-demand industry at locally recognized employers, such as Roche Diagnostics and OneAmerica Bank.

Through current and future partnerships with Marion County schools, EmployIndy works to continue growing talent pipelines for local employers and connecting more young people to employment opportunities that prepare them for the workforce.

• You can learn more about EmployIndy’s efforts to connect young people to employment opportunities by visiting: https://employindy.org/wbl/