INDIANAPOLIS — Today, April 13, 2023, EmployIndy, Marion County’s Workforce Development Board and local workforce intermediary, announces the launch of a new three-year strategic plan anchored by its mission to guide the local workforce ecosystem and make strategic investments to promote equity and remove barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents.
“This new strategic plan builds on the work of EmployIndy since 2016 to scale quality interventions that lead to economic mobility and is centered on ensuring equity for a diverse and skilled workforce,” said Marie Mackintosh, EmployIndy president and CEO.
These interventions include: Career-Connected Learning to prepare students for success in the 21st-century economy by providing real-world work experiences with local businesses to inform career choices and build skills; Coaching and Training to assist students as they persist through completion of postsecondary education and or training to obtain the specialized skills needed in an evolving economy; Talent Connection, creating efficiencies for both workers seeking employment and businesses seeking workers with individualized connection services in the job-placement process; and Good Jobs that allow businesses to be competitive and thrive in the global marketplace when they invest in job quality and wage equity for their workers to prosper.
EmployIndy will also engage in Advocacy that drives Systems Change to ensure sustainability of interventions that systemically address some of the root causes for equity gaps in educational attainment, in good and promising jobs, and for Opportunity Youth.
Accountability for this work and the impact on the community will be measured– disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender– by increases in postsecondary educational attainment and the number of available good and promising jobs, and a decrease in the number of youth, ages 16-24, who are disconnected from education and or employment.
“A key priority through 2025 will be to hold our organization and those with whom we partner accountable for embracing equity,” says Mackintosh, “Not simply as cultural values but as operational norms expressed through equitable hiring practices, job access, job quality, sustainable wages and health insurance benefits.”
To achieve its strategic goals, EmployIndy is implementing changes to its organizational structure that will help the organization grow efficiently and sustainably to achieve our strategic goals. The new structure is carefully designed to support the alignment of programs and initiatives in the teams needed to oversee the strategic priorities.
To learn more about the plan, visit: employindy.org/2023-2025-strategic-plan/
About EmployIndy
EmployIndy guides the local workforce ecosystem and makes strategic investments to promote equity and 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 over $20 million in public, private and philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually. EmployIndy stands against all forms of racism – systemic, individual, and structural – as an anti-racist organization. Learn more at employindy.org.
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
