On April 12, juniors and seniors at Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) had the opportunity to meet with local industry professionals, representing more than 40 companies in central Indiana, to learn about various employment pathways and career opportunities as they look toward graduation.   

The Indianapolis Public Schools and Junior Achievement CareerIgnite Employment and Entrepreneurship Fair, supported by EmployIndy, took place at Arsenal Tech High School yesterday. The event was designed to provide all IPS graduating seniors who have identified “Employment” as their post-secondary plan with a pathway to success. The fair is the culmination of weeks of school-based curriculum, provided by Junior Achievement and taught by IPS staff, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in today’s business world. Students will develop a resume, perfect their elevator pitch, and learn the required soft skills necessary for modern success.  

“Junior Achievement of Central Indiana is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all young people to own their future success,” states Jennifer Burk, President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Central Indiana. “We are proud to partner with IPS, EmployIndy and the business community to build students’ employability skills, connect them with business and industry professionals, and support these young people in their journey toward future success and self-sufficiency.” 

Prior to attending the employment and entrepreneurship fair, students participated in multiple activities in partnership with EmployIndy, including mock interviews and resume prep. They were also encouraged to research the participating companies. Students actively sought entry-level posistions, apprenticeships, and job opportunities that each company has to offer. Some companies hosted on-site interviews for students who were looking to get hired immediately.   

“EmployIndy works diligently to prepare students for success in the 21st-century economy by providing career exploration, engagement and experience opportunities within in-demand industries across Marion County,” says Betsy Revell, Vice President of Talent Solutions at EmployIndy. “Our organization is proud to support IPS and Junior Achievement with the CareerIgnite Employment and Entrepreneurship Fair as a way to expand postsecondary career options to seniors at IPS.”  

Melody Coryell, IPS Executive Director of Postsecondary Readiness, notes that “CareerIgnite provides the essential opportunity for our students to connect with options for their futures, allowing for a smoother transition towards a fulfilling career that will allow students to pursue their dreams.”  

Approximately 400 seniors from all IPS high school programs, including Arsenal Tech, Crispus Attucks, George Washington, Shortridge, KIPP Indy, and Simon Youth Academy, attended the fair.  

See below for a full list of participating companies: 

Accurate Personnel, Amazon, American Senior Communities, Automotive Apprenticeship Group, BYF-Indiana, CarDon and Associates, Crew Carwash, Crossroads of America Council, BSA – Exploring Career Program, Daystar Childcare and Infant Center, Early Learning Indiana, Ed Martin Automotive, EmployIndy: Talent Bound/ProjectIndy, Etica Group, Exploradoor, FAME: Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education, Fastenal Company, FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, Franklin Pest Solutions, Heritage Environmental Services, Howard Companies Asphalt Paving Company, IBEW 481, ICCA – Built to Succeed, IKORCC, Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, INDOT – Promoting Careers in Construction, Innovate Within, Ironworkers Union Local 22 JATC, LIFT Academy, LiUNA Local 120, MacAllister, Martin University, Metropolitan School District of Washington Township, Milestone Contractors, New Hope of Indiana, Peerless Pump, Pepper Construction, Peterman Brothers, Public Allies Indianapolis – Americorps, Seals Ambulance Service, Second Helpings, Serenity Care Services Personal Service Agency (PSA), Sheer Elegance Draperies, Blinds, and More LLC, STARTedUP Foundation, Stoops Freightliner, UPS, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Versiti Blood Center of Indiana, Won’t Stop Hospitality Inc, YMCA of Greater Indianapolis  

As an organization that values professional development and upskilling workers, EmployIndy recently sent six of its own to the National Association of Workforce Boards’ (NAWB) “The Forum” conference in Washington, D.C.  

According to the association’s website, it “represents and advocates for the nation's over 550 Workforce Development Boards,” of which EmployIndy is one of twelve across the state of Indiana. Workforce development boards are federally funded entities that are tasked with supporting employment pipelines across multiple industries. As a registered 501c3, EmployIndy adds a concerted focus and emphasis on making strategic investments to promote equity and remove barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents. 

This year’s conference theme was “The Modern Workforce: Leading by Example. Led by Purpose” and featured sessions that ranged topically from engaging businesses, apprenticeship programs, Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) strategies, social services and mental health, digital skills, using data effectively, and workforce storytelling.  

“Any workforce development professional would benefit from attending NAWB,” said EmployIndy’s Development Director, Robin Kildall. “It gives its attendees a broad look at the way workforce boards are set up across the country.”  

Two of Kildall’s colleagues, Tracy Murphy (Director of Business Partnerships) and Kristen Barry (Senior Director of Research and Strategy), presented at a well-attended session on “Cultivating Seamless Pathways Through Community Collaboration and Advocacy.” The discussion outlined what such a pathway might look like: from industry demand to student voice and class offerings with an eye toward career pathways and combined with wrap-around support services and a conducive policy environment.  

The presentation offered an opportunity for the EmployIndy duo to talk about Talent Bound, an EmployIndy led program that connects Indy youth and young adults to companies and industries with talent needs for career education and work-based learning opportunities.  

Murphy and Barry also emphasized EmployIndy’s recent role in putting together the Accelerate Ed “Blueprint for Cybersecurity” pilot. The program includes voices and players from government, the private sector, local nonprofits, and educational institutions all vying to produce the win-win of creating opportunity for under-represented youth to fill legitimate talent gaps in tech.  

One EmployIndy partner in particular, TechPoint, has been bringing attention to this challenge with its ongoing Mission41K initiative, which encourages skills-based hiring as a method for diversifying tech workplaces and growing the Indiana tech workforce as a whole.   

Problem-solving at this magnitude and level of collaboration is what workforce development is all about. If you would like to learn more about an EmployIndy led program or initiative, or you’re interested in collaborating with EmployIndy in the workforce development space, reach out to our Business Partnerships team at businesspartnerships@nullemployindy.org or visit https://employindy.org/business-partnerships to learn more. 

Indianapolis – March 1, 2023 – This morning, Mayor Joe Hogsett, EmployIndy, and partners kicked off the summer hiring season by announcing the 2023 edition of the Project Indy summer jobs initiative at the Skateland roller skate rink. Project Indy is currently offering over 2,700 available positions from 108 local employers on its online platform at projectindy.net, which makes applying for jobs easier than ever.

“For decades, Skateland has been a bedrock westside institution, and we are glad to welcome it into the Project Indy family of employers,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Since 2016, Project Indy has been an accessible route to high-quality employment for thousands of young residents.”

Project Indy was launched in 2016 by Mayor Hogsett alongside EmployIndy, the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee (GIPC), and the Marion County Commission on Youth (MCCOY). Since its launch, Project Indy has empowered nearly 15,000 young adults in Marion County by providing work experiences that build their employability skills and allow them to explore new career fields. During that time, nearly 300 employers have posted open positions on the portal.

Through Project Indy’s virtual platform that utilizes text messaging to recruit and onboard job seekers, youth ages 16-24 can get started by simply texting “Project Indy” to 317-659-9657. This easy-to-use online platform is a location-based tool that works to connect youth to nearby opportunities and includes an enhanced tool to filter by interest. Once registered, job seekers can easily apply to any of the hundreds of open positions by providing a few pieces of basic information.

By hiring in-school and out-of-school youth throughout Marion County, local employers can provide valuable job opportunities, soft-skill development, and job-readiness training. Additionally, the program offers employers, such as new Project Indy partner Skateland, the opportunity to create a talent pipeline for their business or industry and play an important role in training the future workforce.

“The majority of our staff are teenagers, still in school. Hiring them is an important part of their growth and helps them as they enter the workforce,” said Rodney Williams, General Manager at Skateland. “We’re always looking to hire new young people who we can train and we feel Project Indy is going to benefit us a lot in that effort.”

EmployIndy, which administers Project Indy, will continue promoting the virtual platform through face-to-face recruiting at Indianapolis-area high schools, targeted social media campaigns, and presence at local youth hiring fairs. In 2022, over 2,000 young people in Indianapolis were connected to job opportunities through Project Indy.

“Project Indy is one of many initiatives within EmployIndy that ensures both young adults and employers are prepared for the changing needs of today’s economy,” said EmployIndy President & CEO, Marie Mackintosh. “Through the online portal, young adults from all backgrounds have access to local employers. This helps them not only gain valuable work experience and develop their soft-skills but also works to build a stronger talent pipeline in Marion County.”

In 2018, EmployIndy, in partnership with Mayor Joe Hogsett's office and the Indy Chamber, launched Job Ready Indy, an online employability skills program focused on providing the soft skills needed to succeed in the workplace. When an individual completes one of the online courses, a Job Ready Indy badge will appear on their Project Indy profile – notifying an interested employer that they are deemed by EmployIndy and the Indy Chamber as someone who demonstrates the “job-ready” skills important to the workplace.

Employers interested in hiring youth can sign up to be a Project Indy partner here.

A toolkit with social media assets and other materials is available here.

To speak with a young adult who has benefited from Project Indy, please reach out to Austin Jenness at ajenness@nullemployindy.org or by calling (317) 605-2742.