All-new online platform to add to nearly 13,000 young adults hired since inception

Indianapolis – March 10, 2022 – This morning at Crew Carwash, Mayor Joe Hogsett and EmployIndy kicked off the summer hiring season by announcing the 2022 edition of the Project Indy summer jobs initiative. Project Indy is currently offering 1,261 positions from 63 local employers on its all-new online platform at projectindy.net, which makes applying for jobs easier than ever.

“By offering real-world job experience, Project Indy partners do much more than provide a paycheck,” said Mayor Hogsett. “They allow young people to explore opportunities along a productive path, at a time when negative influences can be harmful to individuals and the community at large. Essentially, it allows young people to define their futures for themselves. That’s good for our youth, it’s good for our employers, and it’s great for our city.”

Since Mayor Hogsett’s launch of Project Indy in 2016 with EmployIndy, the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, and the Marion County Commission on Youth, the program has empowered nearly 13,000 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, 218 employers have posted open positions on the portal.

New this year, Project Indy has moved to a new 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. Other additions include a location-based tool to connect to nearby opportunities, as well as 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. The website upgrade was made possible through a partnership with PivotCX, formerly WorkHere.

Hiring youth in Indy provides job opportunities, soft-skill development, and job-readiness training to in-school and out-of-school youth in Marion County. Additionally, it offers employers, such as Crew Carwash, the opportunity to create a talent pipeline for their business or industry and play an important role in training the future workforce.

“We feel it is important to invest in our people and their future,” said Sally Grant, Executive Vice President at Crew Carwash. “We hire many 16, 17 and 18-year-olds who come to Crew as a first time job. We work hard to provide them world class training, great benefits, and a fun working environment that sets them up for success here at Crew and in future endeavors.”

EmployIndy, which administers Project Indy, will be increasing awareness about the enhanced tool over the coming weeks. That includes face-to-face recruiting at Indianapolis-area high schools, targeted social media campaigns, and presence at local youth hiring fairs. Through increased in-person outreach, EmployIndy hopes to exceed the job seeker participation limited in recent years by the pandemic. In 2021, over 2,000 young people in Indianapolis were connected to job opportunities through Project Indy.

“Project Indy provides an incredible opportunity for young people to gain valuable work experience and soft-skill development, and job-readiness training through Job Ready Indy prepares them for these jobs,” said EmployIndy President & CEO, Angela Carr Klitzsch. “Employers can be confident that they're hiring eager and ready candidates.”

EmployIndy, in partnership with Mayor Joe Hogsett's office and the Indy Chamber, launched Job Ready Indy in 2018, 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 that are important in the workplace.

Regardless of company size or resources, every organization can make a difference in their community through Project Indy. Youth ages 16-24 can learn more and apply at projectindy.net or by texting “project Indy” to 317-659-9657. Employers interested in hiring youth can also sign up using the link.

• A toolkit with social media assets, a video from Mayor Hogsett, and other materials is available here.

2022 Regional JAG Career Development Conference celebrates high school student’s career readiness and employability skills development

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – February 23, 2022 – Yesterday afternoon, the Regional Jobs for America’s Graduates Career Development Conference took place virtually, showcasing the skills that Marion County students have learned throughout their time in the Job for America’s Graduates (JAG) program. Jobs for America’s Graduates is a program for high school juniors and seniors that helps arm them with the career development and employability skills to be successful after high school – whether they choose to pursue a postsecondary degree, a credential or enter the workforce. This annual conference provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their career readiness skills, in a competition format, that they learn throughout the school year.

“We are so proud of our students who have worked so hard to build important career readiness skills that will help them succeed in the future,” said Erika Cheney, Vice President of K-12 at EmployIndy. “While we would love to be in person today rather than virtual, we know that this opportunity to showcase their skills is still so important to their development.”

During the 2021-2022 school year, JAG served 807 students in 15 Indianapolis area schools. Traditionally, the Regional JAG Career Development Conference would be a full-day in-person event, with over a hundred student participants demonstrating career readiness skills in front of dozens of volunteer judges. Competitions include critical thinking, financial literacy, employability skills, entrepreneurship, public speaking, outstanding seniors, and more.

“It is incredible to see the confidence and desire on display during this competition,” said Angela Carr Klitzsch, President & CEO of EmployIndy. “These young people are learning essential employability skills that will last them far beyond high school and prepare them to be a successful employee and addition to the workforce.”

Among the various competitions and student displays, this year’s event welcomed keynote speaker Flora Jones, Director of Student Pathways at the Indiana Department of Education, as well as a host of sponsors who made this event possible.

You can learn more about JAG Indiana by visiting employindy.org/youth-services/jag.

Gold Sponsors 

Indiana Army National Guard
PNC Bank
Verizon

Award Recipients

Chapter Brochure:

1. McKenzie Center for Innovation and Technology

2. Ben Davis High School

3. Warren Central High School

Chapter Social Media Campaign:

1. Beech Grove High School

2. Ben Davis High School

Chapter Commercial:

1. Arsenal Technical High School

2. Beech Grove High School

Team Entrepreneurship Plan:

1. Decatur Central High School 1

2. Ben Davis High School 2

3. Decatur Central High School 2

Career Presentation:

1. LaQuera Williams, Southport High School

2. Nevaeh Smith, Shortridge High School

3. Michaela Ingram, Decatur Central High School 2

Digital Invitation/Cover Design:

1. Lisette Minera, Ben Davis High School

2. James Vann-Mincy, Jr., Crispus Attucks High School

3. Joselyn Mejia, Shortridge High School

Creative Solutions:

1. Larry Long, Decatur Central High School 2

2. Dekeem Sanders, Decatur Township School for Excellence

3. Kollin Sweeney, Ben Davis High School 1

Critical Thinking:

1. Amaya Henry, Shortridge High School

2. Elijah Reid, Decatur Central High School 2

3. Prince Ndahiriwe, Decatur Central High School 1

Employability Skills:

1. Grace Gill, Decatur Central High School 1

2. Clint Harris, Warren Central High School

3. Kayana Dickerson, Crispus Attucks High School

Financial Literacy:

1. Shaniya Stanford, Decatur Central High School 2

2. Hailey Wood, Decatur Central High School 1

3. Ciarra Searcy, Crispus Attucks High School

Public Speaking:

1. Kameron Durham, Shortridge High School

2. Sarah Bennett, Southport High School

3. Basra Isaack, Decatur Central High School 2

Writing Skills:

1. Amonn Burns, George Washington High School

2. Malachi Flournoy, Shortridge High School

3. Isioma Dumbili, Crispus Attucks High School

Outstanding Seniors:

1. Nevaeh Smith, Shortridge High School

2. Emily Baca-Stewart, George Washington High School

3. Sharon Oyatayo, Decatur Central High School 2

About EmployIndy
EmployIndy guides the local workforce ecosystem and makes strategic investments to remove barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents. Our vision is for all Marion County residents to have access to services and training necessary to secure a livable wage and grow in a career that meets employer demand for talent. As the workforce development board for Marion County, guided by 24 business, civic, education and nonprofit community leaders, EmployIndy invests $25 million in public, private and philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually. Learn more at employindy.org.

All 6 badges will now be accessible online, for completion at individual’s own desired pace

INDIANAPOLIS – 7 February 2022 –  To increase access for all Marion County residents regardless of age or experience level, Job Ready Indy (JRI) will launch its curriculum online on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. The online Job Ready Indy curriculum, an employability skills badging system, expands the scope beyond the original in-person programming.

Job Ready Indy was developed in collaboration with Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett's office, EmployIndy, the Indy Chamber, and various employers and community organizations from across Marion County.  Since its launch in 2018, JRI has served over 3,100 participants through employability skills curriculum, intensive in-person discussions, and comprehensive enrichment activities.

“The expansion of the Job Ready Indy curriculum to an online format will allow all Marion County residents, not just young people, the opportunity to utilize this critical resource,” said Mayor Hogsett. “By increasing the number of residents equipped with fundamental skills to enter the workforce, we’re boosting the talent pool for employers and growing our local economy.”

Starting February 15, participants can earn each of the 6 JRI badges, learn new skills, and enhance their overall career competency through online interactive courses on EmployIndy's Learning Hub. Participants can engage with the JRI courses on their own or through a trained JRI Provider. The badge courses are accessed through a personalized login and can be completed on a computer or mobile device at the individual’s desired pace. Badges are digitally awarded and automatically displayed on participants’ Learning Hub profile or Project Indy profile (if applicable). They can also be downloaded as a transcript and added to participants’ professional portfolio, listed on their resume, or shared directly with employers.

This expanded version also includes updated skills within each of the six badges, aligning with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development's (DWD) own shift in employability skills definitions.

“No matter how much workplace experience a person may have, the expanded online curriculum helps build and enhance durable competencies needed to take their career to the next level,” said EmployIndy President & CEO, Angela Carr Klitzsch, “Employers can continue to hire Job Ready Indy participants with confidence, knowing that they have the foundational employability skills needed for today's workplace.”

Additionally, EmployIndy has developed optional, in-person one-on-one or small group activities for JRI providers to lead participants in. These supplemental activities dive deeper into the online content of each badge, promoting relationship-building and allowing providers to give hands-on support to each participant.

A virtual informational session will be held on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, from 9:00-10:00 AM for existing JRI Providers and members of the EmployIndy Ecosystem who are interested in becoming a JRI Provider for the first time. This info session will outline new content and the online delivery method, as well as walk through what both providers and participants can expect from this experience. Registration for the virtual information session can be found here.

To learn more about Job Ready Indy or to access participant or provider information, visit www.jobreadyindy.org.

About EmployIndy
EmployIndy guides the local workforce ecosystem and makes strategic investments to remove barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents. Our vision is for all Marion County residents to have access to services and training necessary to secure a livable wage and grow in a career that meets employer demand for talent. As the workforce development board for Marion County, guided by 24 business, civic, education and nonprofit community leaders, EmployIndy invests $25 million in public, private and philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually. Learn more at employindy.org.