INDIANAPOLIS, IN – EmployIndy, Marion County’s regional workforce development board, has received a grant totaling $81,000 from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, coming just days after receiving $15,000 from UIndy’s Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) and the Education Workforce Innovation Network (EWIN). These awards come at the turn of a new fiscal year in which EmployIndy is launching a strategic plan designed to amplify the impact of workforce development initiatives in the most needed areas of Marion County.

The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust grant represents one of 26 awarded to nonprofit organizations in Indiana during the first of two grant cycles this year. Funds will allow EmployIndy to create a new staff position whose role is coordination of training and development for workforce development service providers around Indy. This will provide more consistency across community organizations and help EmployIndy’s service provider network to leverage best practices for quality service to residents.

“Community-, faith-, and neighborhood-based organizations often have limited capability to manage federally funded contracts, and this grant will help bridge our guidance with their expertise in the community,” Marie Mackintosh, EmployIndy’s COO said.

The CELL/EWIN Education-Workforce Planning Grant will directly support a partnership between EmployIndy, Indianapolis Public Schools, Ivy Tech, the University of Indianapolis, American Senior Living, United Home Healthcare and Trilogy Health Services. It will fund the creation of a Health Sciences Career Academy within Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School and Longfellow STEM and Medical Magnet Middle School, designed to ensure IPS students are prepared for an in-demand career pathway upon graduation.

These awards fit within EmployIndy’s new strategic plan which places heavy emphasis on youth services and target impact areas in most need of workforce development support. “There are promising careers now and in the future for Indianapolis residents, and EmployIndy is part of a coordinated effort to ensure people in our city are skilled and prepared for these in-demand jobs,” said Mackintosh.

EmployIndy will be publicly launching their five-year strategic plan on August 16th alongside Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and Indiana Department of Workforce Development Commissioner Steven Braun.

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EmployIndy
Contact: Joe Backe
Title: Communications Manager
Email/Phone: jbacke@nullemployindy.org; (317)713-7601

Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust
Contact: Teri Walker
Title: Manager of Communications and External Relations
Email/Phone: twalker@nullnmpct.org; (480) 887-0083

About EmployIndy
EmployIndy drives growth in Indianapolis by investing in innovative jobs-to-careers strategies that ensure ALL residents have access to employment and training services to gain the skills needed to enter into jobs, and ultimately careers, that Marion County employers have available. As the workforce development board for Marion County, guided by 21 business, civic, education and non-profit community leaders, EmployIndy invests $20 million in public, private and
philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually.

About the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust
The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust was established upon the death of Nina Mason Pulliam in 1997 to support the causes she loved in her home states of Arizona and Indiana. The Trust seeks to help people in need, protect animals and nature, and enrich community life in metropolitan Indianapolis and Phoenix. Since its inception the Trust has distributed more than $283 million. For more information visit www.ninapulliamtrust.org.

This press release was published by the City of Indianapolis.

$1.2 million will be dedicated to transition assistance and hiring incentives

INDIANAPOLIS – In the hours after Carrier announced the closing of their Indianapolis manufacturing plant, Mayor Joe Hogsett signed Executive Order #2, creating the Carrier Task Force. Today, Mayor Hogsett announced the recommendations of that task force – a two-pronged approach that will utilize funds to support affected workers, encourage future career opportunities, and foster economic growth.

“By lessening the financial burden on our neighbors during this transition period, while incentivizing companies to hire these talented individuals, these resources will provide support for the short, and long-term success of our displaced workers and their families,” said Mayor Hogsett.

In April 2016, Mayor Hogsett announced that the Carrier Task Force would establish a fund to assist affected workers with money secured from Carrier and its parent company United Technologies Corporation. The $1.2 million figure corresponds to the local tax incentive package accepted by the companies in 2011.

Today’s announcement outlined two forms of assistance:

Transition Assistance
In an effort to support affected Carrier workers in their search for new employment opportunities, $1,000 per employee has been dedicated from the Mayor’s Carrier Fund for transition assistance. EmployIndy will administer a supportive services program designed to supplement costs associated with employment transition. Affected Carrier employees can claim up to $1,000 to for such expenses as transportation, childcare, utility bills, and tools or other work-related equipment.

Business Hiring and Retention Incentive Program
The City will take steps to ensure workers displaced by the closing of the Carrier plant successfully complete the transition to new, stable careers. $1,000 per affected employee has been set aside from the Mayor’s Carrier Fund for a Business Hiring and Retention Incentive Program, to be administered by the Department of Metropolitan Development (DMD) in partnership with Develop Indy.

Those that hire and retain a displaced Carrier worker for at least one year, in a position that pays at least $16 per hour, will be eligible for up to $1,000 in incentives. The incentives will supplement direct costs associated with hiring and onboarding that are not covered by Trade Adjustment Assistance.

“When employees are displaced from steady employment, we have a responsibility to leave no stone unturned to provide resources that will ease the financial and emotional obstacles they will face,” said City-County Council President Maggie Lewis. “The money allocated for the Carrier fund will provide much-needed assistance that will help affected employees with their job search and engage our business community in an innovative manner that is bound to produce meaningful jobs.”

Work is already underway to engage affected Carrier workers and connect them with local companies. Employees may immediately begin the formal application process to formally apply by visiting the WorkOne West location at 3400 Lafayette Road. Local businesses interested in the incentive program may email carrier@nullindy.gov, or contact DMD at 317-327-5355 or Develop Indy at 317-464-2218.

About the Carrier Task Force
The Carrier Task Force was created by mayoral executive order in the hours after the Carrier plant closing was announced, and the group has meet regularly to gather local, state, and federal resources. Task Force members include Senators Joe Donnelly and Dan Coats, Congressman André Carson, State Representative Karlee Macer, Deputy Mayor of Economic Development Angela Smith-Jones, Deputy Mayor of Community Development Jeff Bennett, City-County Councillor Jared Evans, City-County Councillor Marilyn Pfisterer, Chuck Jones, Michael Huber, Leigh Anne Downes, Michael Gehrich, and Corinna Vonderwell. More information can be found at carrier.indy.gov.

Indianapolis, IN – Local American Job Center’s free career services at 9002 Purdue Rd. #200 on the Northwest side of Indianapolis (near the Pyramids) will officially move to the WorkOne Indy West location at 34th St. and Lafayette Rd. on June 30th.

The North location was opened as an “express” site for mid- to professional-level dislocated workers shortly after the 2008 recession, designed to augment WorkOne Indy’s career services on the Northside. With an improved unemployment rate and changing needs of job-seekers, the facility has seen a significant reduction in traffic for re-employment services. Career coaches and case managers from the North office will be relocating to the existing WorkOne Indy West on June 30th or be deployed to community sites through mobile service delivery.

“This transition aligns with EmployIndy’s strategy to deliver services in areas with the greatest need,” according to Chief Operations Officer Marie Mackintosh.

In addition to the East and West WorkOne Indy locations, EmployIndy is increasing availability of mobile services, which set up workshops and career coaching at various community organizations around Indianapolis. “We believe this will immediately improve client accessibility by bringing services into more Indy neighborhoods in better coordinated ways.”

EmployIndy will still retain the North office for other career service programs, including its EmployUp program that serves long-term unemployed and underemployed job-seekers.

Media inquiries should be directed to Joe Backe, EmployIndy’s Communications Manager.