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INDIANAPOLIS – 15 December 2021 – On Wednesday morning, EmployIndy and YES Indy gathered at the Finish Line Boys & Girls Club to honor over 40 young people who were recognized for completing the YES Indy Power Huddle program, a two-week job readiness experience where individuals learn how they can change their future trajectory as well as develop a variety of employability skills that will help them map out and work towards reaching their academic, career, and life goals.

Central Indiana is home to over 30,000 Opportunity Youth– young adults, ages 16 to 24, who have disengaged from secondary education or are disconnected from the workforce upon graduation. In efforts to re-engage Marion County’s Opportunity Youth and create a positive trajectory for these young people, EmployIndy launched YES Indy REC in 2018. Shortly thereafter, the Power Huddle was launched as the forward-facing program of YES Indy REC. Since the inception of the Power Huddle program, this is the largest cohort to have completed the program.

“The Power Huddle most definitely gives you more opportunities. The experience helps you understand how to be a good worker and with our mock interviews and other things we did, it helps prepare you for getting a job as well,” Said Jada Webster, an honoree at Wednesday’s event and completer of the Power Huddle program.

Upon completion of the program, participants will be enrolled in YES Indy where they are connected to a career navigator who will offer support and guidance as they enroll in education and training or transition into the workforce. As a part of enrollment within YES Indy, other services are available as well, such as transportation, temporary housing, re-entry services, counseling, and more.

“The growth of the YES Indy network has been instrumental in ensuring we create opportunities to support young people in our community so that they can see a vision for themselves in the future and in the workforce,” said Angela Carr Klitzsch, EmployIndy President & CEO. “Adding the Power Huddle has allowed us to dig deeper with young people and help them realize their dreams and desires.”

In an effort to provide participants with additional pillars of comprehensive wellness, YES Indy launched a partnership with the Fifth Third Foundation through a grant award that expanded the Power Huddle curriculum to include Fifth Third Bank’s Financial Education for High School course as well as opportunities for High School Equivalency/Adult Basic Education courses as a result of their grant award.

“Through the great work of my colleagues and our many community partners, the Power Huddle experience is transforming lives in an inspiring way,” said Rev. Rodney Francis, Chief Programs Officer at EmployIndy. “We’re seeing young adults come in on that first day nearly hopeless, with their heads hanging low, disengaged, disenchanted and disillusioned by their circumstances and lack of opportunities for their lives. But by the end of the two weeks, they are standing before the entire group smiling, heads up, full of hope and proudly presenting vision boards for their lives and futures.”

In addition to honoring participants who completed the Power Huddle program, YES Indy also honored a handful of Marion County youth who completed the EcoLogic Restoration Internship and programming with YouthBuild Indy.

Registrations are currently open for the next YES Indy Power Huddle cohort, which runs from Tuesday, January 18th through Friday, January 28th at the Finish Line Boys & Girls Club on Post Road. To learn more about YES Indy REC and the YES Indy Power Huddle , visit yesindy317.org/power-huddle.

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 $20 million in public, private and philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually. Learn more at employindy.org.

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The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) holds the Young Adult Services (YAS) Summit annually to facilitate collaboration amongst youth service practitioners throughout the state. From workforce development to career engagement to educational accessibility, the YAS Summit presents an integral opportunity for service providers to align on best practices, develop ongoing strategies, and recognize successes each year. 

At this year’s YAS Summit, the Indiana DWD recognized Julie Barrett, Workforce Development Program Manager at the Martindale-Brightwood Community Development Corporation (MBCDC), as the Innovator of the Year for creative programming in support of Young Adult Services. 

Barrett was selected amongst the entirety of YES Indy’s Career Navigators to receive this award, remaining as one of the top Career Navigators in Indiana who serve the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act’s (WIOA) youth population. Her exemplary leadership has enhanced the scope of available services offered to Marion County’s young people, and her unwavering commitment to serving Hoosier youth continues to change countless lives across our community. 

“Julie’s passion, encouragement, and guidance help her build the trusting relationships that are important to improve the trajectory of young people’s lives. She coaches, she models, she cares; she provides tough love, and she gets results,” says Dionne Smith, Vice President, Neighborhood at EmployIndy. “Julie has helped numerous Opportunity Youth reach their own definitions of success, all because she believes in them and helps them believe in themselves.”

Martindale-Brightwood CDC has been very successful as the employer of record for the Disaster Recovery Grant. In this capacity, Julie Barrett and her team have placed nine WIOA Youth in promising jobs, servicing a community severely impacted by COVID-19. The Martindale-Brightwood CDC team is the only mobile WIOA program provider in Central Indiana. With an innovative delivery system, MBCDC is able to provide YES Indy services that are tailored to each individual they serve.

As a mobile provider, MBCDC is able to uniquely impact Opportunity Youth– people ages 16-24 who have become disconnected from school and/or work– with the support they need wherever their location might be. As a result, Barrett and her team receive all of the referrals from the DWD’s youth Department of Correction (DOC), all of Outreach Indiana referrals for young people experiencing homelessness, and all of the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) referrals for youth who do not graduate from High School. Barrett and her team work with Youth Build Indy to enroll those participants in WIOA programming as well. 

“Julie is an all-star service provider and an invaluable asset to Marion County’s Opportunity Youth as well as our community as a whole,” says Charlie Harris, Director, Opportunity Youth at EmployIndy. 

EmployIndy thanks Julie Barrett for her unwavering passion and dedication in serving Marion County’s young people. Her award is undoubtedly well-deserved. Congratulations on being honored as the YAS Innovator of the Year!

 

Central Indiana is home to over 30,000 Opportunity Youth– young adults, ages 16 to 24, who have disengaged from secondary education or are disconnected from the workforce upon graduation. Basic financial education is a need that often goes unmet for this group of individuals, making progress and stability difficult for themselves and their families. Due to being disengaged and disconnected, accessing basic financial education is often difficult or sometimes impossible.

Thanks to a partnership between Fifth Third Bank and YES Indy, however, Opportunity Youth now have an avenue through which they can access basic financial education, by participating in the YES Indy Power Huddle program. In efforts to re-engage Marion County’s Opportunity Youth and create a positive trajectory for these young people, EmployIndy launched YES Indy REC in 2018. Shortly thereafter, the Power Huddle, a two-week job readiness experience that helps Opportunity Youth get connected and improve their daily mindsets, was launched as the forward-facing program of YES Indy REC.

The Power Huddle supports overall YES Indy efforts by teaching young people ways in which they can change their future trajectory as well as engage in a variety of employability skills that will help them map out and work towards reaching their academic, career, and life goals. With a growing inventory of both experience and participation, the YES Indy team sought to expand the Power Huddle curriculum to include additional pillars of comprehensive wellness. The two-week intensive is already designed to focus on mindfulness, character, purpose, resilience, visioning, time management, work ethic, and learning strategies, but financial education as a key component of sustainable livelihood was missing. 

To address the need for financial education within this population, YES Indy’s Power Huddle was financially assisted by the Fifth Third Foundation through a grant award in partnership with EmployIndy. This investment will allow YES Indy to integrate Fifth Third Bank’s Financial Education for High School course into our Power Huddle programming. Additionally, participants without a High School Diploma or Equivalency will go through High School Equivalency/Adult Basic Education courses. 

“Fifth Third Bank is excited to partner with EmployIndy and integrate the Bank’s financial education for high school students through their Power Huddle program. We are committed to deepening the financial resources and education throughout the communities in which we live and serve, and EmployIndy is a great partner in making this vision come to life.” said Nashelle Frazier, Community and Economic Development Manager at Fifth Third.

In September of 2021, the Power Huddle incorporated a new program practitioner, Tawnya McCrary, a consultant with Training for Success, LLC., who has numerous years of experience in working with Opportunity Youth. Fifth Third Bank’s investment will allow the Power Huddle service provider to add one part-time employee, a Financial Education Coordinator, to facilitate the course as well as identify participants who will benefit from this opportunity and connect them to enrollment. Funding will be utilized to provide a $200 Earn ‘n’ Learn stipend as an incentive for each individual who completes the Power Huddle successfully, and an additional $100 deposit for completing the Financial Academy course. 

Based on a Power Huddle cohort from 2019, the goals of implementing this grant from Fifth Third Bank are as follows: 

The project will immediately be implemented from the award date for 12 months, from November 1, 2021, to October 31, 2022. During this grant period, 6 cohorts of 10 students (60 participants total) will attend Power Huddle sessions, with each cohort lasting two weeks, Monday through Friday. Short-term outcomes include Opportunity Youth gaining knowledge of financial wellness, improved workplace readiness skills, and barriers reduced to education and employment. The long-term impact of this programming includes a positive youth trajectory, a better workforce ecosystem, and a reduction in the regional poverty rate.

The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the Fifth Third Foundation.

 

 

Apprenticeship Week in Indianapolis celebrates apprenticeship programs in conjunction with National Apprenticeship Week organized by the U.S. Department of Labor

INDIANAPOLIS – 19 November 2021 – Today, Major Joe Hogsett highlighted the second full week in November as “Apprenticeship Week” in Indianapolis. This week-long celebration, occurring annually and in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Apprenticeship Week, will be lifted up by stakeholders who strive to promote both registered and youth apprenticeships throughout Central Indiana. In particular, youth apprenticeships prepare students for their future by providing them with in-demand skills and relevant job experience so they can thrive in a fast-changing job market. These apprenticeships throughout Central Indiana have provided a model of success for introducing our future workforce to expanded career pathways. High school students who complete Modern Apprenticeship, a youth apprenticeship program, have the opportunity to participate in hands-on work experience that complements their traditional coursework, in growing fields such as business, advanced manufacturing, healthcare and information technology (IT). Afterward, they can continue on to a college degree or jump right into the workforce. As the cost of college continues to rise, youth apprenticeships also offer a rare opportunity to get paid to learn while reducing student debt.“At such a time of transformation at every level of the economy, it is critical that Indianapolis youth have numerous and varied routes to finding a career,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Through programs like Modern Apprenticeship, we are creating pathways to good-paying jobs that go beyond traditional 2- or 4-year degrees. By recognizing Apprenticeship Week, we are highlighting those efforts while pledging further strides towards equity and opportunity.”As job candidates need more skill-based, hands-on training to thrive in 21st century jobs, youth apprenticeships also give Central Indiana employers a new way to build next-generation talent pipelines as well as create a viable option for advancing commitments to increasing racial and ethnic diversity.

About Modern Apprenticeship Modern Apprenticeship was launched in 2020 by EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana for Indianapolis high school students to prepare them for the future in high-demand industries. This program is a three-year work-based learning experience with local employers, where students will emerge with a high school diploma, college credits, relevant credentials and professional experience. Learn more at: indymodernapprenticeship.com

About EmployIndyEmployIndy 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 $20 million in public, private and philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually. Learn more at employindy.org.

The hospitality industry continues to struggle from the hard-hitting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite businesses reopening, many in the service industries are facing widespread labor shortages that largely affect the ability of employers to return to business as normal. A recent report found that the leisure and service industry continues to lack almost 2.2 million jobs, nearly ⅓ of the total missing occupations in the United States. 

Indianapolis’ hospitality industry is facing similar repercussions as businesses fight to recover from the pandemic. Many local hospitality employers began expressing their adverse experiences in navigating recovery to EmployIndy’s Business Partnerships team this past Winter. 

The Business Partnerships team fosters collaborative connections with Marion County employers to better understand the barriers they are facing. Simultaneously, the team helps businesses establish organizational best practices to attract, train, and maintain qualified employees. EmployIndy’s business partners receive wrap-around support in establishing comprehensive career pathways that leverage diverse talent from the Indianapolis community, including young adults

“The Business Partnerships team is always looking for new opportunities to bring together our employer and school partners and create mutually beneficial connections that help establish talent pipelines between community businesses and local students,” says Tracy Murphy, EmployIndy’s Associate Director of Business Partnerships. 

In order to better support businesses amid the recovery from COVID-19 and the ensuing labor shortage, collaboration between employers in the hospitality industry and those entering the workforce was necessitated. To further these efforts, the Business Partnerships team collaborated with Matt Simpson, the Associate Director of Talent Bound, EmployIndy’s work-based learning initiative that connects employers to educators and students through a variety of career exposure, engagement, and experiential activities. 

On Thursday, September 2nd, Murphy and Simpson facilitated a roundtable discussion in coordination with Visit Indy and Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association (INRLA), The discussion included seven representatives from local hospitality businesses and a variety of EmployIndy’s K-12 and education partners, listed below.

During the hour-long, virtual roundtable, hospitality employers from across Marion County shared their experiences with economic recovery as well as their ideas on possible solutions to local labor shortages, including the establishment of talent pipelines in Indianapolis high schools. 

“This discussion was a great opportunity for the hospitality industry to share its hiring needs and for our school partners to gain insight on the available career pathways in Marion County,” says Simpson.

The agenda contained topics such as wage compensation, work hours, available positions, and transportation barriers. Education providers then shared upcoming events as well as specific contact information with the hospitality employers to promote continuing communication. Both parties curated sustainable working relationships, helping students to find employment and hospitality employers to attract and maintain quality workers. 

“As the high school representative for Talent Bound, our goal is to expose young people to as many different career pathways as possible throughout their K-12 experiences, helping ensure that they can make an informed career decision when the time comes,”  says Simpson. “The roundtable event connected schools interested in establishing partnerships with local employers who are willing to share industry opportunities with students.”

This discussion resulted in numerous opportunities for hospitality representatives to participate in school events such as guest speaking, career days, and organizational tours. Student internship opportunities with local hospitality employers have been introduced as well, launching a solid foundation for the development of future talent pipelines in Marion County. EmployIndy will continue to facilitate the connection and communication between hospitality employers and local schools, offering guidance on how to best engage high schoolers and present career opportunities within the hospitality industry. 

Are you an employer interested in connecting with EmployIndy’s Business Partnerships team? Email Tracy Murphy at [email protected] to get started! 

Hospitality Representatives in Attendance:

Education Providers and K-12 Partners in Attendance:

 

EmployIndy held an outing for the inaugural cohort of the Modern Apprenticeship program at Victory Field on Thursday, September 30th. Youth Apprenticeship Managers and other EmployIndy staff joined the Youth Apprentices for an Indianapolis Indians game to celebrate the progress of and community within the pilot cohort. 

The entire MAP team enjoyed food and drinks before watching the game, giving the Youth Apprentices the opportunity to further connect and share their experiences. Their apprenticeships began at the start of the school year after completing the Summer MAP Bootcamp, where apprentices developed their employability skills and networked with the inaugural cohort.

Ja’Kyra Cox, a junior at George Washington High School, was amongst the Youth Apprentices who attended the game. She is currently an apprentice at Ivy Tech Community College and has thoroughly enjoyed her experience this far, saying her apprenticeship is what she looked forward to the most when starting her day.

Cox also noted how much of a learning experience the Modern Apprenticeship program is. It has been a “challenge” for her to balance both work and school, but the community and opportunities within her apprenticeship have been the best part.

Ramiro Delgado, a junior at Arsenal Technical High School, is apprenticing with Indianapolis Public Schools’ (IPS) building maintenance team. He also attended the game and spoke of his experience as a Youth Apprentice. Delgado noted that the transition from a regular high school student to a MAP participant was difficult at first, but now that he is settled in his position, he really enjoys “fixing technical problems around the local schools.”

Clarissa Hunt of Pike High School is a Youth Apprentice at Pepper Construction and has found her MAP experience to be very enriching thus far. She said, “Not only do I love this program, but I am learning skills and tools I can actually use in a job.” Kinaya Hines, a junior from North Central High School and a Youth Apprentice at Roche Diagnostics, echoed Hunt’s words, also noting that her apprenticeship has really taught her the importance of responsibility and communication. 

Modern Apprenticeship is an integral program of Talent Bound, EmployIndy’s work-based learning initiative that supports young people throughout Marion County (both in school and out) as they investigate different career pathways and are exposed to local employers in the workforce. Dr. Mechelle Polter, Director of Talent Bound, joined the Youth Apprentices at the Indians Game. 


“The best part of this outing was sitting at the table chatting with the apprentices about their experiences,” said Polter. “Talking to them in a casual setting really brought life to the program we have spent so much time to build.”

The Youth Apprentices who joined the MAP team for the Indianapolis Indians game collectively recommended the Modern Apprenticeship program. Melanie Garcia, an apprentice with the K-12 and Postsecondary team at EmployIndy where she directly works with K-12 programs, noted that Modern Apprenticeship, “. . is an opportunity that upcoming high school juniors do not want to miss!”

The Modern Apprenticeship program combines work-based learning and the traditional classroom curriculum to fortify the skills and experiences young people need to succeed in the modern world of work.

“The Apprentices are so excited and motivated by what they are doing. One apprentice said how much he enjoyed learning not just behind a desk,” said Polter. 

 

EmployIndy and Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis held a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Open House on Tuesday, October 5th in celebration of Indy Achieves’ new offices at Ivy Tech’s downtown campus (50 W. Fall Creek Parkway, North Drive).

This event recognized the third year of Indy Achieves’ partnership with Ivy Tech Community College as well as the opening of the Indy Achieves Student Center at Ivy Tech Indianapolis. Indy Achieves is Mayor Joe Hogsett’s response to Indianapolis’ rapidly changing labor market by ensuring that every Indianapolis resident has the ability to both pursue and complete a postsecondary credential or degree program. Eligible new students or former Ivy Tech and IUPUI students with an outstanding balance in Marion County can utilize Indy Achieve’s wraparound services to earn a credential or degree.

The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony began at 10:45 AM with opening remarks from Indy Achieves’ Leadership Team, including Matt Impink, VP Postsecondary and Executive Director of Indy Achieves at EmployIndy, and Esther Woodson, Director of Indy Achieves.  

“We are thrilled to open the Indy Achieves Student Center at Ivy Tech. Over this past year, we were able to award 341 Promise Scholarships and 154 Reconnect Completion Grants to Ivy Tech students as well as grow our number of onsite student success coaches,” said Matt Impink. “This space will not only support students to complete at Ivy Tech but provide supports for career connection as well.”

The opening remarks were followed by an address from Ivy Tech Indianapolis Chancellor, Dr. Lorenzo Esters. Of the impactful services that Indy Achieves offers students, Dr. Esters noted, “The success of Indy Achieves at Ivy Tech has been life-changing for our students.” Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett was also a keynote speaker at the celebration, sharing his pride for the program and of the achievements that students have accomplished with help from Indy Achieves.

“Since we created the Indy Achieves program in 2018, the importance of its original motivation has only heightened,” said Mayor Hogsett. “By providing more residents with accessible routes to complete post-secondary education, we are promoting equity and opportunity at a critical time. Today’s Ribbon Cutting renews that central ambition while marking the continued progress and expansion of this vital program.”

Indy Achieves student, Adriyanna Staten, and Ivy Tech Indianapolis Student Government Association President and Indy Achieves student, Tapiwa Mzumara, also gave testimonies to the impact of Indy Achieves on their personal lives and professional careers. After beginning her post-secondary education in 2013, Mzumara had to put her education on hold while caring for her chronically ill mother, dealing with financial hardships, and working to become a DACA recipient. She found herself with an outstanding balance and no way to pay it, forcing her to not return to Ivy Tech the following Spring Semester. 

In 2019, Mzumara was informed of Indy Achieves’ Completion Grant while working in retail to make ends meet. Marion County residents may apply for a completion grant to cover unpaid bursar bills or other substantial debts preventing students from continuing their postsecondary education. Upon receiving a Completion Grant, Mzumara was able to return to Ivy Tech Community College and continue pursuing her degree in Biotechnology. “Tapiwa has shared that this grant changed the trajectory of her life,” Esters added. “We are so proud of everything she and all Indy Achieves recipients have accomplished.”

The new offices remained open following the ribbon cutting, allowing students to see the new space and connect with Ivy Tech and Indy Achieves representatives. You can check out WISH-TV’s news coverage of this event to learn more. 

 

Many career pathways are designed to fit a particular series of steps; graduate high school, achieve a post-secondary degree, obtain real-world experience outside of the classroom, and then enter the workforce, but only after achieving the required qualifications. These pathways are linearly formulated, forging a standard of eligibility that deems who can secure sustainable careers and who is confined to non-promising jobs. 

For countless workers, however, the tracts to career success are riddled with obstacles that span beyond a conventional scope; the sequential progressions of traditional career pathways are not always applicable routes for many people to take. This notion is, simply, not a “one size fits all” solution for our workforce. 

As a part of Mayor Joe Hogsett’s commitment to renew Indianapolis’ workforce development efforts in June of 2016, EmployIndy has dedicated efforts to finding and establishing a variety of innovative career pathways within Marion County. This places a priority on reducing the barriers that prevent individuals from progressing through the A job, Better job, Career (ABC) continuum.  

A job is any form of employment that provides a source of income to secure basic needs. A better job provides sustainable compensation and opportunities for further education and industry experience. A career provides ongoing professional advancement and economic security. The goal is for every Marion County resident to have the opportunity to develop a career by first creating access to any job and then moving to a better job that prepares individuals for real-world success. 

This continuum requires multiple points of intervention from community-based organizations, employers, and schools, alike. From wrap-around services to professional mentorship to skills enhancement, the entire workforce ecosystem plays a role in fostering an individual’s progression. This allows service providers to meet workers where they are at, and curate resources and opportunities tailored to their individual circumstances. 

EmployIndy was able to both encourage the progression through and witness the intricacies of the ABC continuum through the career trajectory of Essence Gray. Gray grew up in Pike Township and attended many different schools in the area throughout her teenage years. She experienced homelessness during this time and was in and out of foster care before she eventually settled in Washington Township. 

While attending Shortridge Highschool, Gray joined “Life After Shortridge,” a program that helped to elevate young people and open their eyes to the world of opportunities that exists outside the immediate community. Through this experience, Gray set herself apart through her tenacious insight and innovative ideas, winning a writing contest that earned her an internship with Ice Miller LLP, a full-service law firm in downtown Indianapolis.

After completing the internship experience, Gray enrolled at Vincennes University, studying Business Administration and Audio Production. At the time, she wanted to become a lawyer and generate opportunities for underserved youth to advance their creative potentials, much like her own experience at Shortridge. 

In November of 2018, Gray gave birth to her son after completing her first year of college. She did not continue on with her degree after becoming a mother and began working at a restaurant to provide for her child. Near the end of 2019, Gray was 23 years old and navigating many personal tribulations in addition to parenting a toddler. As COVID-19 began ransacking the world the following Spring, she found herself at a major turning point. 

“One day I just realized that I didn’t want to do this,” recalled Gray. “I am not meant to just sit around and wash dishes for the rest of my life. I deserve more, and I am capable of more.”

Shortly thereafter, in April of 2020, Gray learned of the YES Indy program from Hawthorne Community Center. She enrolled immediately and completed the PepUp Tech program, all while healing from her own traumas and taking care of her son. Gray also began studying for her SalesForce Certification, and it was during this time that she was offered an internship with EmployIndy. 

“I saw that the future was focused on technology, and I was hungry for the tech work that I knew I could change the world with,” said Gray. 

Gray began working with EmployIndy’s Strategy and Research team at the end of 2020, and her role included a variety of data analyses, from report personalization to data mechanization and beyond. She also played a crucial role in transitioning and implementing EmployIndy’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, a critical component of EmployIndy’s internal re-organization that was occurring at this time. 

“Having Essence as a team member at EmployIndy allowed us to really live out our ethos and experience, as employers, the value that young, diverse talent brings to organizations,” said Marie Mackintosh, Chief Strategy Officer at EmployIndy. “It was a wonderful experience to help Essence navigate the ABC continuum and advance her career.” 

After her time at EmployIndy, Gray began an internship with the Martindale-Brightwood Community Development Corporation (MBCDC) as an Executive Assistant in the Summer of 2021. This internship helped her to grow as a mother and as a professional, providing her with invaluable experience within the world of work. The connections she made continue to help her advance her career. 

“Growing up, my career path was set in stone,” said Gray. “But then life happened and it became a struggle to find what I truly wanted to do versus what other people were telling me to do and what opportunities were actually feasible.”

On September 1st, 2021, Gray started a full-time apprenticeship as an Indianapolis Public Ally. Gray serves as an Ally with the American Red Cross, working directly with the Martindale-Brightwood community in outreach and technological innovation throughout the next ten months. 

“It means something to me to have my feet on the ground and make change happen. I remember being that young person who just wanted someone to see me, to help me, and to believe in me,” said Gray. “Now, I get to be that person for others and continue to help and heal my community.”

 

7 September 2021 – The modern age has brought about major changes within the world of work. Emerging technologies and globalization are impacting the very nature of workforce dynamics while employers’ demand for highly-skilled, versatile talent continues to grow. A combination of technical and soft skills, as well as comprehensive, real-world experiences, are prerequisites for the majority of entry-level jobs. The opportunities to obtain these credentials, however, are not readily accessible, creating a widening gap in career-ready skills amongst the workforce.

In an effort to bridge the gap between the supply of talent and the demand for multi-skilled employees in the local community, EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana piloted a new apprenticeship model for Indianapolis high school students that prepare them for the future of high-demand industries. 

Modern Apprenticeship (MAP) is a paid three-year work-based learning experience for Central Indiana high schoolers with local community employers. Beginning their junior year of high school, apprentices will split their time between the classroom and the workplace. By the end of the MAP experience, students not only graduate with a high school diploma and obtain invaluable social capital, but they will also earn industry-recognized credentials and transferable college credits.

 

“Modern Apprenticeship helps to diversify talent pipelines while increasing the economic mobility of local youth and providing the critical experience needed when taking the next steps towards a career,” says Betsy Revell, Vice President of Talent Solutions at EmployIndy.

The inaugural MAP cohort, consisting of 30 students and 16 employers, signed their certificate of acceptance in May of 2021, establishing a system of career-connected learning that will create equitable opportunities for high schoolers throughout Marion County. The youth apprentices completed two MAP boot camps this summer to prepare them for their upcoming apprenticeships this fall and begin connecting with their employers and peers. 

In addition to piloting the Modern Apprenticeship program, EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana both hired apprentices from the inaugural cohort. 

“Hiring internal apprentices was important to EmployIndy because we wanted to navigate the Modern Apprenticeship program alongside our business partners and have a legitimate experience as a MAP employer,” says Revell. “Hosting apprentices also aligns with our goals associated with creating long-term talent pipelines and EmployIndy’s strategic priority of building career pathways for young adults.”

Salematou Diaby, Kimorah Waites, and Melanie Garcia began their apprenticeships at EmployIndy on August 9th. All three apprentices have been placed in different departments within EmployIndy; Diaby with the Career Services team, working with WorkOne Indy; Waites with the Talent Solutions team, working with Talent Bound and MAP; and Garcia with the K-12 and Postsecondary team, working with K-12 programs (photos at end of post).

“It is exciting to have youth apprentices within these EmployIndy teams because, in many cases, high school students are our target audience,” says Revell. “Our apprentices offer an opportunity for EmployIndy to get real-world feedback in real-time, and we need that real-time insight to continue to expand our programs.” 

Workforce development is facing a new set of stipulations in adequately preparing young people for the future working world. The demand for well-rounded, experienced employees requires targeted services that leverage existing talent pools from a young age. Competent workers are abundant, but the training needed to fortify their skills is not always accessible. Modern Apprenticeship creates accessible opportunities for young talent while enhancing the skills needed to succeed in today’s in-demand industries.

Melanie Garcia

Melanie Garcia, EmployIndy’s K-12 & Postsecondary Apprentice

Salematou Diaby

Salematou Diaby, EmployIndy’s Career Services Apprentice

Kimorah Waites

Kimorah Waites, EmployIndy’s Talent Solutions Apprentice

The unemployment rate in Marion County has faced record highs throughout the duration of the COVID-19 global health crisis. Many residents have been faced with not only the collective uncertainty brought forth by the pandemic but, also, the adverse tribulations that ensue after losing employment. 

The Regional Workforce Partnership (RWP) coordinated efforts with local nonprofits, employers, state agencies, and community organizations to assist the residents of Indianapolis in getting back to work as quickly and safely as possible. These efforts, however, were tailored to intentionally fulfill the need for a diverse pipeline of talent amongst local employers. The utilization of collaboration and unification is key in bridging the gap between the job seekers and employers of our community, and, as so, the Rapid Re-Employment Response plan was initiated. 

In August of 2020, this plan came to fruition through the partnership of EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana. These two organizations utilized the Ascend Network, an online technology platform, to connect dislocated workers with available jobs and training opportunities. EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana adapted the platform to include a variety of job seekers with differing educational backgrounds and experiences, all while providing personalized support to help each individual navigate their career paths.

“Bringing on new technology and being the first expansion partner of the Ascend Network while diligently working within this partnership to make sure that the platform aligns with the populations EmployIndy serves has been a crucial learning process,” says Betsy Revell, Vice President of Talent Solutions at EmployIndy. 

Over the last year, 944 job seekers have completed their logins to the Ascend Network. Of those job seekers, 443 have scheduled meetings with EmployIndy Recruitment Managers, who meet one-on-one with job seekers to assess their resumes, interview skills, and overall job readiness. 

Based on those preparations, Recruitment Managers either refer individual job seekers to WorkOne Indy for additional career-ready enhancement or directly admit them to the Ascend Network to launch their profiles. Nearly 256 job seekers have been referred to WorkOne over the duration of Rapid Re-Employment Response, cumulating a total of 357 career-ready job seekers as active profiles within the network’s talent pipeline. 

As of August 20th, 2021– the one-year anniversary of EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana’s utilization of the Ascend Network– 212 job seekers have been placed in employment positions through Rapid Re-Employment Response. 

Placing over 200 job seekers in positions amid the obstacles of the COVID-19 pandemic has required major flexibility and adjustments as workforce developers. But, as Revell states, “What is incredible about reaching this milestone is that we have been able to see that, the more people engage, the more outcomes we achieve.”

This milestone marks a 59% conversion rate of active profiles to job placements. Mileah Gray, Director, Rapid Re-Employment Response Talent Network, notes that this rate of success comes from EmployIndy Recruitment Managers’ active role in guiding the relationships between job seekers and employers. 

“The human connection aspect of the network establishes a relationship with the job seeker and enables the Recruitment Manager to provide the job seeker with confidence in interviewing and ongoing encouragement to persevere in their job search,” says Gray. 

 

Local diversity advocates support, recognize and inspire employers to adopt diversity framework best practices to improve success within their community and workplace

INDIANAPOLIS – 19 August 2021 – Today marks the 20th Annual Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity. This year’s event took place virtually with over 200 attendees with a focus on how businesses can benefit by adopting a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion framework and best practices. EmployIndy, the City of Indianapolis, and the Office of Minority and Women Business Development are honored to have hosted an event celebrating high-achieving local employers with participation from many influential speakers and a special emphasis on the importance of supporting the employment of Indianapolis young people through Project Indy, Mayor Joe Hogsett’s youth jobs initiative.

Project Indy is a location-based job search platform for Indianapolis residents ages 16-24. With over 200 local employers registered, thousands of young people have been connected to employment opportunities. This platform not only connects youth to jobs, it provides an opportunity for employers to diversify their organization and encourage leadership amongst team members.

“It is critical we take time to celebrate our community’s commitment to diversity,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Engaging young people is more important now than ever. Today, we commend the businesses and non-profits who are already leading the way toward a diverse and prosperous Indianapolis.”

With the financial support of many Indianapolis employers, the Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity hosted well-known local advocates. Attendees to the twentieth annual event learned and heard from the following community leaders:

 

“Today, and everyday, we are grateful to the employers who are actively making a difference for our young people through support of this event and are proud to celebrate employers in our community by shining a light on their efforts to increase diversity and inclusion,” said Angela Carr Klitzsch, EmployIndy. “Over the past six years, over 17,000 young adults have accessed jobs through Project Indy. These young people are the future of Indianapolis – the future of our workplaces and our neighborhoods. Creating equitable access to employment for youth provides employers with a pipeline for long-term talent needed in the workplace and individuals with the employability skills to be successful now and in the future.”

This event is a time to recognize employers who have made exceptional efforts to demonstrate inclusivity, diversity, and equity in their workplaces through their leadership, hiring practices, and focus on culture. This year’s award recipients are as follows:

Due to the impact of COVID-19 in Marion County, many businesses have experienced temporary and permanent closures. Because of this, there is an even higher number of young residents who are facing unemployment.

To support and provide employment resources for these young people, all proceeds from the 20th Annual Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity go towards sustaining Mayor Hogsett’s Project Indy youth jobs program. This program introduces young people to what is often their first job, teaching them the importance of soft skills such as time management, teamwork, workplace etiquette, and more.

In order to donate and support the continuation of the Project Indy initiative, please go to employindy.org/donate. More information about Project Indy can be found at projectindy.net.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left the public fearful for the health and well-being of their families, but for many Hoosiers, the resulting recession has destabilized their entire lives amid the collective unrest within our communities. The closure of non-essential businesses left many jobless, and workers with low-wage, non-promising jobs found themselves on the brink of economic disaster.

23-year-old Daijia Bible is one of the aforementioned workers who became unemployed due to COVID-19. An Indianapolis native and graduate from Arsenal Tech Highschool, Daijia was working at a restaurant when the pandemic hit the United States. A mom of two toddlers with her third child on the way, Daijia lost her job in April of 2020, a month before her due date. Her childrens’ daycare also shut down, and Daijia found herself without an income nor a place to live in the midst of being the sole provider for herself and her young children. 

Daijia remained dedicated to her family, searching for ways to earn money and take care of her young children. In June of 2020, she was connected to Julie Barrett, Workforce Development Manager at the Martindale Brightwood Community Development Corporation (MBCDC), the only mobile Youth Employment Service (YES) program provider in Central Indiana. With an innovative delivery system, MBCDC is able to provide YES program services that are tailored to each individual. The goal is to uniquely impact opportunity youth– people age 16-24 who have become disconnected from school and/or work– with support to reconnect them on a career path. 

Mobile YES services allow MBCDC programmers to meet youth and young adults where they are at, helping them attain self-sufficiency through education, training, and employment. 

Julie enrolled Daijia in the mobile YES program over the phone. Shortly thereafter, she took Daijia to purchase necessities for her family and secured her with a mobile phone. 

“My first goal was to get Daijia stable and show her that she had somebody who was going to show up for her,” said Julie, recalling her first meeting with Daijia. “She had never had someone show up for her before, and that is what she really needed.”

Daijia was living at Coburn Place when Julie was able to place her in a job through the Disaster Recovery Grant. Daijia took a position as an Outreach Worker with the Ross Foundation in September of 2020. She now works directly with the Eastside community, offering resources and answering questions throughout different neighborhoods. “I love helping people and being a helping hand for the Eastside. The people I meet are my favorite part,” said Daijia, recounting her experiences on the job. 

In October, Daijia completed YES Indy’s virtual Power Huddle program, a two-week job readiness experience where young persons have the opportunity to participate in group discussions, explore opportunities and support through YES Indy. Daijia experienced job preparatory activities that helped her identify her academic, career, and life goals while developing a map to achieve them.

“The Power Huddle helped me out because it made me sit there and set goals for me and my children and also think about what I really want for my life,” she said. Daijia was recognized amongst her cohort to present her achievements at the Power Huddle graduation ceremony.

Daijia and her children now have their own place as a result of her continuing her part-time position at the Ross Foundation. She still works closely with Julie as they continue to make plans for Daijia’s future; she is currently exploring options to attend nursing school at either Ivy Tech Community College or St. Joseph’s College of Marian University. 

“Without Miss Julie, I would have never gotten this far. I wouldn’t have known anything about YES Indy, and because of it now I have a job and can take care of my kids,” said Daijia. “No matter what, I just can’t be afraid to move forward.”