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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. 

 

Having the opportunity to gain practical resume building skills and interviewing experience can help give young people the head start they need to be successful as they enter our ever-changing workforce landscape. One way which EmployIndy helps guide these efforts is through Talent Bound, our vehicle to provide students in Marion County with access to authentic work-based learning experiences. 

On Wednesday, July 7th, EmployIndy had the opportunity to partner with and host TeenWorks, whose mission is to empower teens to achieve excellence in community, college & career. TeenWorks brought 11 students to EmployIndy’s downtown office where they participated in Talent Bound “Talent Prep” activities that included resume-building exercises, mock-interviews as well as learning more about Project Indy and the Modern Apprenticeship Program (MAP).

“We’re happy that TeenWorks invited us to be a part of this event and we enjoyed the opportunity to expose these students to Talent Bound opportunities, while also helping them prepare their resume and enhance their interview skills,” Said Matt Simpson, Talent Bound Manager, High Schools. During the event, each student participated in at least two mock interviews with EmployIndy staff as well as worked closely with EmployIndy staff to learn practical ways in which they can build a resume that stands out.

To learn more about how Talent Bound partners with local organizations to help prepare Marion County young people to enter the future workforce, visit: www.talentbound.org.

 

JAG (Jobs for America’s Graduates) Indy programs held their Senior Send-Off at Garfield Park on Tuesday, June 22nd. This annual event recognizes JAG program seniors as they transition to furthering their education  or entering the workforce. The celebration included games, food, a raffle with prizes, and a catered snow-cone truck, all with the opportunity to celebrate with fellowship. 

EmployIndy recognized both students and employers with awards for their work throughout the program. Rosalea Rodrigues, a 2021 JAG graduate from Arsenal Technical High School, was selected as this year’s recipient of the Jessica Brown Memorial JAG Award. EmployIndy initiated this award four years ago to honor beloved colleague, Jessica Brown, who passed on April 18, 2018. Recipients of this award are students who exemplify Jessica’s selfless personality and passion for volunteering. Rodrigues’s commitment to giving back shined as a true testament to the compassion and generosity Jessica brought to our community. 

In addition, Beatrice Beverly with Stop the Violence Indy was honored with the JAG Employer Engagement Award of Excellence for her outstanding partnership with our local JAG programs. Further employer partners such as the Marriott, Partners Personnel, and Chic-fil-A contributed prizes and food along with  job opportunities for JAG’s class of 2021. For more information on JAG Indy programs, visit https://employindy.org/youth-services/jag/. 

 

As the anticipation of summer break continues to grow for students and families across Central Indiana, many are looking for employment opportunities and ways to connect with local employers during the break. On June 1st, EmployIndy hosted a career fair at George Washington High School (GWHS) aimed at engaging young people with local employment opportunities. Nearly 180 high school students were served during the career fair, providing onsite networking for students with twelve community employers, including Waffle House, Walgreens, Ransburg YMCA, EmployIndy, Donatos Pizza, Crew Carwash, and Indy Parks and Recreation.

During the 4-hour event, EmployIndy staff also assisted 92 students in signing up for Mayor Joe Hogsett’s Youth Jobs Initiative, Project Indy, as well as conducted mock interviews with 45 students as a part of EmployIndy’s Talent Bound curriculum, entitled Talent Prep. Through Talent Prep, young people are prepared for real-world workplace experiences and given confidence as they navigate into the workforce. 

“We were encouraged to see a great employer turnout and for us to have the chance to support the students who selected ‘employment’ as their 3E option,” said Mechelle Polter, Director of Talent Bound. “It was great working with the George Washington faculty as well as being able to provide connections to summer employment opportunities for the younger students.” Through this and similar youth career fairs such as one that was hosted two weeks prior at GEO Academies, EmployIndy aims to promote job equity amongst the local youth population as well as connect community employers to a diverse group of students and prospective employees. 

Lastly, students at the June 1st event were also introduced to the Modern Apprenticeship program at GWHS. This competitive program provides students with the opportunity to complete their high school degree, earn industry-recognized certification, and gain college credits all while being paid over $13/hour and working in a high-demand industry at locally recognized employers, such as Roche Diagnostics and OneAmerica Bank.

Through current and future partnerships with Marion County schools, EmployIndy works to continue growing talent pipelines for local employers and connecting more young people to employment opportunities that prepare them for the workforce.

 

2021 JAG Career Development Conference celebrates high school student’s career readiness

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – March 17, 2021 – Today the Indianapolis Jobs for America’s Graduates Career Development Conference took place virtually, for the very first time. Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) is a program for high school juniors and seniors that helps arm them with the workforce development skills to be successful after high school – whether they choose to persist onto postsecondary or pursue a career. This annual conference provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their career readiness skills that they learn throughout the school year.

“During the 2020-2021 school year, the JAG Indy programs continued to excel in delivering successes for participants even in the midst of the pandemic, serving 827 students in fifteen Indianapolis schools,” said Erika Cheney, VP of K-12 at EmployIndy. “Like all other programs, we have needed to adapt our local model to support students virtually.”

With hundreds of students participating, the JAG Career Development Conference would traditionally be a full-day in-person event with high school students demonstrating career readiness skills in front of volunteer judges. Some of the competitions include critical thinking, financial literacy, employability skills, entrepreneurship, public speaking, outstanding seniors, and more.

“It is exciting to witness the drive and passion that so many of these students demonstrate during the competition,” said Angela Carr Klitzsch, president & CEO of EmployIndy who spoke at this morning’s event. “These young people are learning employability skills that will last them far beyond high school and prepare them for future employment.”

Many organizations partner with JAG throughout the school year, hosting events and presenting in classrooms. This year the 2021 JAG Career Development Conference is offering a new award to the community partner who made a difference for students and impact in the community. This year the award is given to Beatrice Beverly with Stop the Violence Indianapolis.

Thank you to our 2021 sponsors who made this event possible and congratulations to all the participants for a successful virtual event and to the winners who stood out above their peers in demonstrating employability skills and career readiness success.

Sponsors
Gold Sponsors: Saint Joseph’s College of Marian University; B&W Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Drains

Bronze Sponsor: Securitas Security Systems

Award Recipients

Chapter Marketing Campaign:

  1. George Washington High School
  2. McKenzie Center for Innovation and Technology
  3. Decatur Central High School

Entrepreneurship Plan:

  1. Arsenal Technical High School

Career Presentation:

  1. Faith Akinwande – Decatur Central High School
  2. Andrea Romero – Shortridge High School
  3. Samantha Rudge – Beech Grove High School

Creative Solutions:

  1. John Diaz – Warren Central High School
  2. Jared Wolfe – Indiana School for the Deaf
  3. Saul Torres – Decatur Central High School

Critical Thinking:

  1. Lia Burton – Decatur Central High School
  2. Aireyona Mitchell – Shortridge High School
  3. Prince Ndahiriwe – Decatur Central High School

Employability Skills:

  1. Gabriela Perez – Shortridge High School
  2. Anita Martin – Arsenal Technical High School
  3. Grace Gill – Decatur Central High School

Digital Invitation:

  1. Jahaira Santos-Trujillo – McKenzie Center for Innovation and Technology
  2. Karen Bautista Tellez – McKenzie Center for Innovation and Technology
  3. Paola Avila Hernandez – McKenzie Center for Innovation and Technology

Financial Literacy:

  1. Gunnar Wiser – Decatur Central High School
  2. Jade Tien – Warren Central High School
  3. Felicity Walters – Decatur Central High School

Public Speaking:

  1. Joanna Nunez-Mancilla – George Washington High School
  2. Janice Rivera – Decatur Central High School
  3. Emma Teachman – Beech Grove High School

Writing Skills:

  1. Kayden Kimbrough – Beech Grove High School
  2. Anab Jamal – Decatur Central High School
  3. Sharon Oyatayo – Decatur Central High School

Outstanding Senior:

  1. Anita Martin – Arsenal Technical High School
  2. Shelby Gosser – Decatur Central High School
  3. Dieu Merci Mfaume – George Washington High School

You can learn more about the Jobs for America’s Graduates program here.

“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.” said Daijia Bible, a 23-year-old mother of three and recent completer of YES Indy’s virtual Power Huddle program. Daijia, along with 23 other young adults from Indy’s Eastside, gathered virtually and in-person in a socially distanced setting at the Indianapolis Boys & Girls Club located on 38th & Post Rd to celebrate this important milestone. During the ceremony that included completers from cohorts 17-19, several had the opportunity to share how the Power Huddle had helped them grow as well as show off their “vision board”, which they created during their time in the program.

The Power Huddle is YES Indy’s two-week job readiness experience where young persons have the opportunity to participate in group discussions, explore opportunities and support through YES Indy, and complete job preparedness activities that help them map out and work towards reaching their academic, career, and life goals. Since its inception, the Power Huddle has seen over 140 young persons go through the program. Upon completion, young individuals like Daijia develop important soft skills, earn two badges from Job Ready Indy, and build the confidence needed to take their next step. For Daijia, that includes studying cosmetology and eventually starting her own business. Thanks to the Power Huddle, she’s taken an important step in making those goals a reality.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Power Huddle program is currently being offered virtually. Young persons interested in participating in an upcoming Power Huddle session can learn more and register by visiting: https://yesindy317.org/power-huddle.

EmployIndy, Ascend Indiana, CareerWise Colorado, Zurich North America, and many more are changing the perception of apprenticeships – engaging innovative employers in high-demand industries to prepare young people for the workforce of the future.

Traditionally, apprenticeships are viewed as opportunities exclusively available to adults in the trade industries, such as welding and construction. In the 21st century, that is no longer true. These industries learned early on that this structure was critical to build a trained workforce – something that many employers in other fields wished for. To celebrate these opportunities and the expansion of apprenticeship into high-demand fields, such as IT, healthcare, and business, the United States Department of Labor hosts National Apprenticeship Week.

National Apprenticeship Week brings together business leaders, career seekers, educational institutions, and stakeholders to showcase their programs and apprentices within their community. The participating employers have prepared a highly-skilled workforce to meet their talent needs as they shape individuals to both invest in their industry and fit the mold of their company.

In 2018 and 2019, EmployIndy staff members attended a Best Practices summit in Denver, Colorado, and the CEMETs Institute in Switzerland to learn more about the modern youth apprenticeship model and see how it could be implemented in Indianapolis. This all started because EmployIndy was launching Talent Bound – a work-based learning initiative for high school students. While work-based learning is preparing students for career exploration and engagement, the next step was to create on-the-job opportunities that could ultimately translate into a career.

Recognizing that a traditional four-year education is not always the best option for all students, EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana announced an innovative Modern Apprenticeship program, utilizing the structure that was put in place by the trades industries and making it applicable to other high-growth, high-demand industries. By connecting employers to high school students, they are able to build their current and future talent pipeline while providing young adults with the unique opportunity to build their professional network, graduate high school, get paid a higher wage, and gain an industry-recognized credential and college credits. In partnership with CareerWise Colorado in Elkhart County and Ascend Indiana, EmployIndy is aiming to do at least 100 apprenticeships over the next four years in Indiana.

The Modern Apprenticeship Program creates a structure for employers to be part of the solution and removes barriers so all students can have equal accessibility to careers in high-demand fields, ultimately leading to economic mobility.

The launch of Modern Apprenticeship is just one local career readiness plan:

In July 2020, CareerWise Colorado, in partnership with EmployIndy, Ascend Indiana, Horizon Education Alliance, CityBridge Education, and HERE to HERE, was awarded a $5 million grant from the US Department of Labor to assist in expanding the number of registered youth apprenticeships. This happens by working directly with local employers to demystify youth apprenticeships while supporting them along the program lifecycle. These funds are specifically tailored towards creating shared supportive services to build a learning network based on local expertise and diverse economic environments.

Organizations nationwide are recognizing the value of apprenticeship for all industries and we are excited to support our young people and our community by building career readiness strategies and best practices for all residents.

Local and national diversity advocates challenge, recognize and inspire employers to exemplify diversity in their community, in their workplace

16 September 2020 – Indianapolis – Today was the 19th Annual Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity. Pivoting due to the need for social distancing, this event took place virtually with nearly 300 people in attendance. This year’s event focused on the value of a diverse workforce, recognizing high-achieving local employers, and the importance of supporting Indianapolis youth through Project Indy.

“It is critical we take time to celebrate our community’s commitment to diversity,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “This year, amidst national civil rights demonstrations and a pandemic that exacerbates existing inequalities, our cause has been given added urgency. Today, we commend the businesses and non-profits who are already leading the way toward a diverse and prosperous Indianapolis.”

With the support of the title sponsor, Genesys, and many others, the event hosted well-known local and national advocates. Emcee’d by FOX59’s Fanchon Stinger and Dan Spheler, attendees learned about the value and impact of workforce diversity and inclusion from keynote speaker, Janet Stovall; Mayor Joe Hogsett, City of Indianapolis; Tamika Catchings, owner of Tea’s Me Cafe Indy; Dr. Sean L. Huddleston, president of Marin University; Angela Carr Klitzsch, president & CEO of EmployIndy; Michael Huber, president & CEO of the Indy Chamber; Derris Ross, founder of the Ross Foundation; and Angela Smith Jones, vice president of diversity and inclusion for Health and Hospital Corp and former Deputy Mayor of Economic Development for the City of Indianapolis.

“As we look at building an inclusive Indianapolis, I want to encourage everyone to support small diverse businesses and encourage entrepreneurship for those reentering the workforce,” said Camille Blunt, Office of Minority and Women Business Development. “We all need to do our part to encourage equity and support of underutilized businesses.”

This event is a time to recognize employers who have made exceptional efforts to demonstrate inclusivity, diversity, and equity in their workplace through their leadership, workforce, community involvement and strategic planning. The awards are as follows:

Due to the number of COVID-19 outbreaks in Marion County causing establishments to experience temporary and permanent closures, there is a high number of individuals 16-24 who are now facing unemployment.

All proceeds from the 19th Annual Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity go towards funding and supporting 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.

“Through Project Indy, nearly 15,000 young people have had access to local job opportunities over the past four years,” said Angela Carr Klitzsch, EmployIndy. “These young people are the future of Indianapolis – the future of our workplaces and our neighborhoods. Creating diverse pathways for youth employment provides employers with the long-term talent needed in the workplace and individuals with the employability skills necessary to be successful in the future.”

In order to continue supporting the Project Indy program, please text MCOD2020 to 243-725 or go to employindy.org/donate. More information about Project Indy can be found at projectindy.net

Local leaders, national figures to recognize Marion County businesses and organizations making equity, diversity, and inclusion a priority during digital event

10 August 2020 – Indianapolis – This year Mayor Joe Hogsett’s Celebration of Diversity, taking place virtually, will be focused on not only recognizing the diversity within Indianapolis organizations, it will challenge all people and employers to improve the work they are doing to make their workplace one that emphasizes and demonstrates the importance of true equity, inclusion, and equality.

Join emcees Fanchon Stinger and Dan Spehler of Fox59 on September 16, 2020 from 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM, to celebrate Indianapolis and challenge your organization to make a difference or simply to learn more about what it means to have an inclusive, equitable workplace.

As we celebrate those who are striving to build inclusive organizations, join us in diving deeper with well-known speakers and local influencers from all over the nation. Hosting this year’s event virtually provides the flexibility to hear from people who are on the ground, actively engaged in building inclusive environments. As a special feature, attendees will have the opportunity to hear a special message from Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett as well as information about workplace resources available to organizations through Indy Chamber, Office of Minority and Women Business Development, and EmployIndy.

 “I am looking forward to speaking alongside such a powerful group of individuals who are making a difference in their community and challenging each of us to do the same,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett, City of Indianapolis. “We are stronger together. I hope you will take time on September 16th to join us.”

This year’s keynote will be Janet Stovall, executive speechwriter, cultural change agent, and TED speaker. She will be emphasizing the true power of a diverse workforce and demonstrating actions businesses can take to build a culture of inclusivity.

Alongside Stovall, the Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity will host Tamika Catchings, local business owner of Tea’s Me Cafe Indy and former U.S. Olympic gold medalist, who will provide insight into the impact that a diverse workforce makes on an organization. The event will also host Dr. Sean L. Huddleston, president of Martin University and advocate for diversity who focuses his efforts on establishing conditions for success for individuals historically underserved and underrepresented. Deputy Mayor of Economic Development, Angela Smith Jones, will provide closing remarks.

Derris Ross, founder of the Ross Foundation, will also be joining – emphasizing the work that his organization is doing to ensure diversity and the impact it is having on Indianapolis. Among other populations, Ross works most closely with young people who are no longer engaged in school or in the workforce and provides them with employment opportunities while they gain employability skills.

If you think your workplace exemplifies what it means to be diverse, consider submitting a nomination for one of five prestigious awards. Nomination applications are open until August 12th at employindy.org/connect/mcod-nominate.  Sponsorship opportunities and tickets available to the public as well at employindy.org/connect/mcod-sponsor.

Proceeds from this event go towards Mayor Joe Hogsett’s program, Project Indy, a location-based job portal for Indianapolis youth and young adults – many of whom are underserved and underrepresented. Please consider donating to continue funding this program that has connected nearly 15,000 youth and young adults to employers over the past four years.

Yesterday at George Washington High School 15 students participated in the Girls in Tech panel discussion. The purpose of the event was to expose girls to various roles within the tech industry beyond the more traditionally known. EmployIndy pitched the idea for the panel to George Washington High School and connected the employers to the event.

The panel was moderated by Morgan Walker, Technology Employer Engagement Manager at EmployIndy. The panelists included Arwa Ghalawan, Diversity and Inclusion Representative at Infosys; Mariel McAlister, Talent Acquisition at Sallie Mae; Raquel Dukes, Technical Services Team Lead at SmarterHQ; Anita Donnelly, Director of Support and Onboarding Operations at SmarterHQ; and Vicki Daugherty, Program Manager, Informatics Diversity-Enhanced Workforce (iDEW) and Diversity Coordinator at IU School of Informatics.

 

Tell us about your career pathway from when you graduated high school to where you are now.

Arwa Ghalawan: I graduated in 2018 from ITCC in software development. Finished an internship to learn more about what I wanted to do, and my advice for you is connect, connect, connect. Now I work in diversity and inclusion with Infosys. I help our global employees learn about and feel connected to the community of Indianapolis.

Anita Donnelly: I didn’t go through the same schooling the others did, but I get to work with the developers and teams. I just took a little different way to get there.

Mariel McAlister: I started out doing fashion websites, and things like that, so I took a class and found out that I do not like programming at all. It wasn’t until I did my first internship experience that I realized how much I loved HR and I did that at a small tech startup. At another tech company, I did recruitment and employee experience. I find I get to use a lot of technology and design in my roles. 

Raquel Dukes: I went to a pre-engineering program in the summer and found I did not want to do engineering, so I tried math, but did not want to do that either. Computer information systems on the business side with marketing seemed to be the thing for me. I did find I was good at programming, but I like being with people too. My first job was in consulting which I enjoyed, but also learned about myself and where I wanted to be in programming. 

Vicki Daugherty: Before the advent of the printing press, we did not have books and people did not need to read. For you, consider code as the next printing press. Get enough of it so wherever you go in a career so you understand computer language.

What is your favorite part of the tech industry?

Raquel: Every day is different, every client is different, and an opportunity to use different strategies for problem solving. 

Mariel: If I do the same thing every day, I get bored. In the tech industry you are thrown different things every day, and I find that exciting. 

Morgan Walker: I get to work with a ton of amazing companies, and I love the innovation that is happening across these companies. Learning how they come up with the ideas, and put them into action. The individuals I meet are lifelong learners to keep up with the industry. Wherever my career takes me, I want to stay in this industry.

Vicki: I work with a lot of students, and what I find exciting is we are teaching students things that don’t even exist yet from disease cures to the next entertainment innovation. Because I work with companies as well, I know how desperately they need women and diversity overall. If the same people are designing products all the time the products would be all the same.

Arwa: My strong accent was my main challenge in school, but now I love it because it makes me unique.

What’s the biggest challenge you face with working/support the tech industry?

Raquel: I see the greatest challenge in the tech industry is the constant change. It is constantly changing. 

Mariel: I agree with that, because in the recruiting field we are always learning new programs.

Anita: Learning how to read different languages. For example, I had a problem and the development team said here is the code that finds that, you should be able to find it with this. I found it, and that was really rewarding. Know your information, go out there, be strong, and hold your own.

Vicki: There is a study that shows that men will apply for jobs where they meet 20% of the requirements, but women will not apply for jobs unless they meet 80% of the requirements. My advice is apply for it anyway. (View a similar study here.)

After the panel, students were free to ask their own questions.

What is informatics?

Arwa: For me to finish my bachelor at IUPUI, I went through informatics which belongs to software development, and computer science classes.

Vicki: Think about how to help people use technology. Make it intuitive, and how they will use the data. Healthcare, ap development, business… That does mean it is everything, but we are really concerned about how people use technology, and help them. It is applied computer science.

My teacher taught us coding. I like it, but am I supposed to know everything? It is scary and pushing me away from technology.

Raquel: You will never know everything, but we huddle in our work group to figure it out. We Google it, and figure out work-arounds together. You have help. At school you need to get the grade, but at work you have help through people and resources.

Since I am in a different pathway other than head-on technology, what are the industries that I can work with technology? What are your day to day interactions with the companies? I am trying to figure out what I want to do.

Morgan: In my day to day I work with many companies. With companies that have 3 people, what I see is they are tech people trying to start a business but they don’t know where to start. They need business people to help them with administration and marketing. I work with very large companies, and small companies, but they all need the right people to work in all roles of their organizations. That is their greatest challenge.

What is your most favorite thing you do on a day to day basis?

Arwa: Working with people. You can make someone’s day by asking how is your weekend and socializing a little.

Mariel: I like helping people, and being the expert in my field.

Raquel: Finding something that works better than what I have been doing.

Anita: Problem solving as I work with scheduling. I literally call it playing Tetris, because I have to schedule their time without driving them crazy. Just about that time a higher priority/critical job comes in, and I have to tear it all down and build it back up.

Vicki: When I push students to participate in projects and programs, and they come back and tell them I signed up or thank you.

Morgan: I am very inquisitive, so I ask a lot of questions. The people I get to work with are very smart and passionate about what they do, and I feel very lucky to get to work with the people I do. I take advantage of it every day.

Mariel: Networking is such an important part of what we do. It was really hard for me when I started because I was an introvert, but I pushed out of my comfort zone. You never know what it can lead to, an internship or mentor.

Arwa: My best advice for you is to create an internet account like LinkedIn, and connect with people.

What is your advice to finding your pathway?

Morgan: Learn your strengths by failing.  Failing is ok – you figure out what’s not for you. Try things, and if you fail, great, you learn from it. Then when you find what you’re passionate about, go for it 110%.

Arwa: Do as many internships as you can starting with high school. When you get to college, go to all the career fairs. Push yourself to do that early on. The biggest mistake college students make is not doing internships, and graduating without an experience. Experience is so important.

Employers interested in getting involved with work-based learning experiences such as this panel can go to TalentBound.org.

Published in partnership with the Indianapolis Department of Public Works

Leadership from the Indianapolis Department of Public Works (Indy DPW) will attend a resource fair Thursday in hopes of engaging up to 15 new employees for a newly created second shift within DPW’s Operations division. Presented by the Far Eastside Collective Impact Council and hosted by Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE) at 4 p.m. Thursday, the “CDL Night” event will not only provide attendees with information on license renewal and resources for a career in logistics, but will also connect attendees to employers providing training to new hires unable to attend a truck-driving school.

Indy DPW specifically will speak to interested applicants about second-shift positions in heavy equipment operation and street maintenance.

“We’re looking forward to the opportunity to meet skilled individuals seeking jobs that make a difference for our city,” said Dan Parker, Director of Indy DPW. “By adding this second shift, DPW can address potholes and other street maintenance requests later into the evening each work day, and even after dark with some special training, the right equipment, and high-visibility gear.”

Approved in Mayor Joe Hogsett’s 2020 budget, this will be the first formal “after hours” shift of its kind in Indy’s history, extending the ability of DPW crews to remain engaged on street maintenance issues. Hiring is ongoing for three management and 12 labor positions, each with wages greater than $18 per hour. Interested applicants can view the job listings on the City’s website here.

“To decrease the number of residents living in poverty, Indianapolis needs to create 120,000 good and promising jobs paying over $18.00 per hour to address the skills mismatch that contributes to underemployment and limited job opportunities,” said Marie Mackintosh, COO of EmployIndy. “Indy DPW’s job creation is a strong step toward bridging this skills gap and creating opportunity for economic mobility.”

Fourteen new pieces of equipment have been received or are on order for DPW’s new second shift , following a pattern of recent targeted investment both in street maintenance equipment and personnel. In 2019, DPW created a dedicated Street Maintenance Team to address deteriorated roadways with the longer-lasting strip-patching technique; this team completed 64 intensive strip-patching projects with hot-mix asphalt at locations across the county in 2019.

“We launched this event with the hope that Indianapolis residents will connect with employers to receive the skills and training needed to be successful in the logistics industry,” said Natosha John, Career Pathways Coach and member of the Employer Engagement Task Force, extension of the Far Eastside Collective Impact Council committee. “We are looking to build a bridge between the job seeker who needs additional training or certification, and an employer who is eager to skill up their workforce and fill those gaps.”

CDL NIGHT EVENT DETAILS:
Click for invitation