More than 2,800 job openings available through a year-round employment platform connecting Indianapolis youth to opportunity
INDIANAPOLIS – March 18, 2026—This morning, Mayor Joe Hogsett, EmployIndy, and employer partner AMC Theatres kicked off the summer hiring season by announcing a hiring event for the movie theatre locations across the city. Project Indy is currently offering 2,894 unique job openings for young people across Marion County, spanning 257 different positions from 174 active local employers. Through its online platform at projectindy.net, young people can easily connect with employers in their community who are hiring.
“With yet another year of Project Indy comes another fantastic opportunity for young people to gain real-life work experience and earn respectable wages,” said Mayor Hogsett. “Not only does this program set them up for success, but it also ensures that they have a safe, productive way to spend their free time this summer. Project Indy represents a win for our youth, the City, and employers across Indianapolis.”
Project Indy was launched in 2016 by Mayor Hogsett alongside EmployIndy, the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee (GIPC), and the Marion County Commission on Youth (MCCOY). Since its launch, 20,656 young people in Marion County have registered on the Project Indy platform to connect with employment opportunities and explore career pathways with local employers.In total, 354 employers have participated in the platform since 2016.
While many people associate Project Indy with summer jobs, the platform operates year-round, connecting young people ages 16–24 with part-time, full-time and seasonal employment opportunities across Marion County.
Youth ages 16–24 can get started using Project Indy’s virtual job board by simply texting “ProjectIndy” to 317-659-9657. This easy-to-use online platform utilizes text messaging to recruit and onboard job seekers. It also includes a location-based tool that works to connect youth to nearby opportunities as well as filtering job opportunities by interest. Once registered, job seekers can easily apply to any of the hundreds of open positions by providing a few pieces of basic information.
By hiring in-school and out-of-school youth throughout Marion County, local employers provide employability skill development and job-readiness training, playing an important role in training our future workforce. Programs like Project Indy also help connect young people to positive opportunities that support long-term success.
“At EmployIndy, our goal is to connect young people to opportunity while helping employers build strong talent pipelines for the future,” said Ken Clark, president and CEO of EmployIndy. “Through Project Indy, young people gain valuable work experience while local employers connect with motivated young talent across our community.”
EmployIndy, which administers Project Indy, will continue promoting the platform through face-to-face recruiting at Indianapolis-area high schools, targeted social media campaigns and participation in youth hiring fairs. The organization also works closely with community organizations and workforce partners to ensure young people across Indianapolis are aware of and able to access available opportunities.
In 2018, EmployIndy, in partnership with the City of Indianapolis and the Indy Chamber, launched Job Ready Indy, an online employability skills program designed to help young people build the workplace skills needed for career success. When an individual completes one of the online courses, a Job Ready Indy badge appears on their Project Indy profile, notifying employers that they have demonstrated key workplace readiness skills.
Employers interested in hiring youth can sign up to be a Project Indy partner through the Project Indy platform.
EmployIndy today announced it has been awarded a $1.5 million grant by the Pathways Impact Fund, a national initiative of StriveTogether, to expand access to the most in-demand career and learning experiences for Central Indiana’s high school students.
“EmployIndy has supported the development of strong pathways programs and deep career-connected learning partnerships in Marion County over the past eight years,” said Ken Clark, president and CEO of EmployIndy. “With Indiana’s new diploma requirements and readiness seals, every district now needs the infrastructure, employer connections, and advising capacity to ensure students can graduate with a clear plan. This investment allows us to expand what’s already working, scaling high-quality advising, career-connected learning, and accelerated coursework to reach thousands more students across Central Indiana. It’s about strengthening and extending a proven model as a regional system so that every student, regardless of where they attend school, can access pathways that lead to real economic opportunity.”
Founded over 40 years ago, EmployIndy has evolved into the region’s leading workforce and pathways intermediary—connecting employers with talent, guiding residents toward meaningful careers, and aligning education and industry partners around a stronger, more accessible economy. As the workforce development board for Indianapolis, EmployIndy plays a critical role in coordinating the county’s complex education landscape of 11 public school districts, numerous charter schools, and 25,000+ employers to provide young people with career-connected learning experiences.
This support comes as Indiana implements new graduation seals that require students to complete rigorous, career-focused coursework and demonstrate readiness for college, career, and civic participation. EmployIndy and its partners, including Central Indiana Education Services Center (CIESC), will help districts adhere to these new requirements by adopting seal-aligned pathway plans that embed work-based learning, structured advising cycles, and credential-bearing coursework. The initiative will also work to increase student access to dual credit courses in high-demand sectors, allowing students to earn both high school and college credit while building skills employers value.
“EmployIndy understands that building effective pathways isn’t just about individual programs—it’s about creating the regional systems and partnerships that allow those programs to reach every student,” said John Garcia III, executive director of the Pathways Impact Fund. “Their work transforming Central Indiana from strong local efforts into a coherent regional system exemplifies the kind of systems-level coordination we would like to see nationwide.”
Today’s EmployIndy award is part of the Pathways Impact Fund’s $7.5 million commitment to regional intermediaries working to scale high-quality pathways across five states. Backed by several of the nation’s largest philanthropies, the Fund’s strategy focuses on ensuring more young people access high-quality advising, accelerated coursework, and career-connected learning that lead to purposeful pathways and economic mobility.
Understanding labor market information is essential for anyone working to strengthen the workforce, whether they are training providers, employers, policy partners or community organizations. But the data alone is not enough. Communities need interpreters — organizations that can explain what the numbers mean and how they should influence program decisions, talent strategies and career planning.
As Marion County’s workforce development board, EmployIndy plays that role every day.
Each month, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development releases the Hoosiers by the Numbers Labor Market Review, providing data on employment, unemployment, and job trends.
Here are highlights from the December 2025 Labor Market Review to help our community understand the labor market conditions affecting Marion County (Region 12) and surrounding counties including Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Madison, Morgan and Shelby counties (Region 12). This data can help strengthen planning, improve service delivery, and deepen alignment between training programs and employer needs.
Central Indiana continues to experience historically low unemployment, ranging from 2.5% to 2.8%. While this benefits workers, the tight labor market makes it difficult for many employers to fill open positions, especially in high-demand occupations.
Job growth has slowed
Job growth across the region has leveled off, with small month-over-month declines and little change compared with last year. This slowdown does not signal a weakening economy, but it does suggest the labor market is stabilizing after several years of rapid change.
Demand for talent and job seeker interest are misaligned
Employers continue to report strong demand for registered nurses, commercial truck drivers with CDLs, maintenance and repair workers, retail supervisors, and customer service representatives. Job seekers, however, are showing more interest in general labor, material moving, landscaping, and accounting. This misalignment contributes to ongoing labor market gaps where job seekers are not seeking training for current and upcoming employment opportunities.
A large pool of potential workers remains untapped
More than 160,000 Hoosiers are considered potential workers — individuals who are unemployed or not currently seeking work but interested in returning to employment. Reengaging these workers is a major opportunity for closing workforce gaps and meeting employer demand.
Labor market data is most valuable when it informs strategy. Community organizations and training providers can use these insights to guide career coaching and training toward high-demand fields such as health care, transportation and logistics, skilled trades and frontline supervision. Partners also can help participants understand immediate job opportunities as well as longer-term career pathways in these industries.
Short-term, high-value credentials, including nursing support certifications, CDL training or industrial maintenance programs, can help job seekers connect quickly to stable, well-paying careers.
Employers can use these findings to review hiring practices, retention strategies, wage competitiveness, and opportunities for skill-building and internal mobility. Many employers may benefit from partnering more closely with workforce organizations to develop customized training, work and learn models and on the job learning pathways.
EmployIndy is Your Data Partner
The labor market is dynamic, and numbers alone rarely tell the full story. EmployIndy serves as both a source and an interpreter of labor market information for our community.
By combining trusted data with deep relational knowledge of Marion County’s workforce landscape, EmployIndy helps job seekers make informed career decisions, supports employers in finding and developing talent, guides training providers in building data-driven programs, and helps community organizations align services with real workforce needs.
INDIANAPOLIS — EmployIndy staff, board members, community partners and local leaders gathered Dec. 3 at The AMP at 16 Tech to honor Marie Mackintosh for her contributions as she prepares to take on a new role with Indiana University Indianapolis.
Mackintosh has served as president and CEO of EmployIndy since fall 2022, leading efforts to build strategic partnerships and create opportunities that empower Marion County residents to pursue careers aligned with employer demand. She first joined the organization as chief operations officer in 2016, and her leadership has been key in advancing initiatives such as the New Skills Ready Network Collaborative, Modern Apprenticeship, Talent Bound, Rapid Re-Employment Response and the Good Wages Initiative.
Reflecting on her time with the organization, Mackintosh told the team, “I really respect each and every one of you and your grit, your resilience, your commitment to serving our community, our residents and our businesses in a really thoughtful way. I’m very grateful to all of you.”
Under her direction, EmployIndy launched a three-year strategic plan focused on preparing students and workers for 21st-century jobs through career-connected learning, access to career coaches and equitable postsecondary options. The plan also emphasizes business engagement, helping employers remain competitive by co-creating talent pipelines, promoting inclusive and high-quality employment and connecting to a diverse, well-prepared workforce — steps critical to Indianapolis’ continued economic growth.
During the event, Mackintosh received a commemoration from U.S. Rep. André Carson and a proclamation from Mayor Joe Hogsett. She shared a personal reflection, saying, “As some of you may know, I am a musical theater girl at heart. And to borrow this moment from ‘Wicked,’ what I want to say is that ‘because I know you, I have changed for good.’ That line really hits when I think about how many people here have helped me have that change in my life. And so I’m just very grateful.”
Mackintosh will begin her new role Dec. 8 as vice chancellor for workforce and community engagement at IU Indianapolis. Her vision and dedication have left a lasting impact on the community, shaping opportunities for residents and businesses and driving progress toward a more inclusive and prosperous Indianapolis.
Closing the event, Mackintosh said, “Thank you for trusting me and for challenging me and for believing alongside me and really reminding me every day what community really means.”
Expanding access to high-quality career-connected learning opportunities is helping more high school students make informed decisions about their futures and successfully navigate the transition from high school to postsecondary education and the workforce. This important work continues with support from the Gates Foundation and is being led locally by EmployIndy.
As a part of the Accelerate ED: Seamless Pathways to Degrees and Careers initiative, the Indianapolis “design team”, led by EmployIndy, will build on the success of their work in creating the Indiana Cybersecurity Pathway Blueprint and begin development of a new Indiana BioPharma Pathway Blueprint. With Central Indiana’s economy poised for rapid expansion in tech and biotech, EmployIndy and our partners will use a $500,936 grant provided by the Gates Foundation to create a new and scaled accelerated postsecondary pathway that will focus on quality education, seamless transitions, and dedicated support and resources to ensure equitable paths to success for all Marion County students who are interested in these growing industries.
“EmployIndy is grateful to the Gates Foundation for their continued support as we lead the development of important new career pathway blueprints,” says Marie Mackintosh, EmployIndy’s President + CEO. “We know this work will be vital in addressing bioworkforce talent gaps and providing access to high-quality jobs for all residents.”
Over the next ten years, there is an expected gap of at least 2,200 life sciences manufacturing workers per year in Indiana, which mirrors the national bioworkforce shortage. EmployIndy is also a subawardee of the Heartland BioWorks Tech Hub Program—a consortium led by the Applied Research Institute—as part of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Tech Hubs Grant to support the development of the BioPharma pathway.
Originally designated as an Accelerate ED community in 2022, EmployIndy will use proven methodology from the development of the Cybersecurity Pathway to bring together stakeholders from our K-12 and postsecondary systems into a design team to develop this new BioPharma Pathway with the goals of:
Designing accessible career pathways that support students in earning 30 college credits by the end of high school, and;
Guiding students into career-aligned courses, leading to an associate degree by the 13th year.
To date, the Accelerate ED Indianapolis design team has improved student completion of high-quality career pathways through the JPMorgan Chase Foundation’s New Skills ready network (NSRN), created a career coaching framework adopted statewide by the Indiana Commission on Higher Education, enabled seamless postsecondary admission at IU Indianapolis, embedded Ivy Tech Community College career coaches at Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS), and built strong infrastructure enabling schools to access career-connected learning through Talent Bound, which includes immersive work-based learning opportunities like the Modern Apprenticeship Program (MAP).
On February 11th, Lilliana Mendoza stood on stage in front of over 110 Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) students from 15 local high schools and 3 local middle schools as she was named JAG Indy’s Outstanding Senior at the 2025 Regional Career Development Conference (CDC), an annual career development competition where students can demonstrate the employability skills they have learned in their JAG classrooms over the course of the past year.
For Mendoza, a senior at Arsenal Technical High School, caring for those in her community and prioritizing her education have been important values, instilled in her by her parents, that have helped her be an active leader in her JAG program. Nominated by her peers to serve as JAG student president, Mendoza logged 160 hours of volunteer work with Meals on Wheels during summer breaks.
“JAG gives you a place to be your best,” said Mendoza when asked what made the program special. In addition to offering students career-connected learning experiences and opportunities to build their leadership and employability skills, JAG Indy utilizes “Specialists”, who are located full-time in participating schools, to support students with ongoing career guidance.
After having doubts about which path to take after graduation, Mendoza sat down with her JAG Specialist at Arsenal Tech, Dejanae King, to identify her skills and interests that could lead to a rewarding career. Having cared for animals from a young age, they explored related career pathways, with Mendoza ultimately applying for and being accepted into Purdue University’s Pre-veterinary Medicine program.
In addition to the support that JAG students receive from their Specialist while in high school, they also receive regular follow-ups after graduation. “My JAG Specialist is very supportive, and I think the check-ins will help keep me accountable as I pursue my degree,” said Mendoza.
Being named the Outstanding Senior for region 12, Mendoza will move on to compete for the top honor against the other eleven workforce development regions at the JAG State Career Development Conference in March.
JAG Indy is a state-affiliated program, based on a national model, that aims to keep young people in school through graduation and provide career-connected learning experiences that will lead to career advancement opportunities, or enrollment in a postsecondary institution that leads to a rewarding career. Having recently expanded with new programs at two Marion County high schools and six Marion County middle schools in 2024, JAG Indy programs boasted a 98% graduation rate as well as a 75% full-time positive outcome rate, with the latter highlighting the percentage of students that entered full-time employment and/or further education.
Click here to check out the full list of winners from this year’s JAG Indy Regional Career Development Conference.
Anthony Parish, a graduate of YouthBuild Indy, honored with 2024 YouthBuild AmeriCorps Spirit of Service Award
INDIANAPOLIS, AUGUST 15, 2024 — Anthony Parish, a graduate of YouthBuild Indy, has been nationally recognized for his outstanding leadership through service. Parish, 23, was selected from thousands of members across the country to receive one of four awards given out by YouthBuild USA for their annual Spirit of Service Awards. The winners were announced at the State of YouthBuild USA AmeriCorps and Member Award Presentation on August 15. Parish was selected to receive the Member of the Year award for his commitment to personal growth and serving the Indianapolis community.
YouthBuild Indy, an EmployIndy led training program, offers young people the opportunity to obtain industry certifications, develop job readiness skills, receive adult basic education preparation, and hands-on paid work experiences. Parish came to YouthBuild Indy with the goal of completing his education and beginning a career in construction, determined to create a better future for himself and his family. That determination continued while overcoming personal challenges, and renewed itself afterward, speaking to his strength and commitment to personal growth. While in the program, Parish earned his high-school equivalency, National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) certifications and Carpentry 1 certification, demonstrating his dedication, aptitude and desire to begin his career.
“Being an AmeriCorps member has helped shift my mindset,” Parish said. “Before I was just thinking about the day and how I would be able to take care of myself and my family at that time. Now, I am always thinking about what’s next for the future and not just day to day. I am setting goals for myself, learning how I can achieve them and taking the steps to get there.”
Staff members cite his leadership and supportive nature as valued contributions to the program. Being one of the first participants in the program to earn his NCCER certification, Parish would help his peers study and quiz them ahead of testing. Always willing to lend a hand, he even provided fellow students with rides as they made their way to the YouthBuild Indy facility or external construction site. When additional work was required for a home rehabilitation project during winter break, Parish decided to go to the worksite every day to help complete the project. This level of dedication allowed him to forge a deeper professional connection with the construction trainer and opened the door for his Carpentry 1 certification. With a strong work ethic and a desire to transform his life through service, Parish embodies the values of the YouthBuild AmeriCorps program.
“Anthony has demonstrated his dedication to the program, capability in jump-starting his career, and giving back to peers and future generations,” said Yolanda Mattox, Community Partnerships Manager at YouthBuild Indy. “Anthony’s success not only benefits him but also serves as an inspiration to others facing similar challenges. His journey showcases the transformative power of education, training and community support in overcoming obstacles and achieving one’s goals. We are so proud of him.”
YouthBuild USA has been an AmeriCorps grantee since AmeriCorps’ inception in 1994. Since then, YouthBuild USA has enrolled more than 51,000 AmeriCorps members who have generated millions of direct service hours, including developing or repairing thousands of units of affordable housing for low-income individuals and families. More than 13,000 YouthBuild AmeriCorps members have earned their high school equivalency and a total of $43 million in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards.
Approximately 2,148 YouthBuild AmeriCorps members in 59 programs across 26 states build affordable housing and provide community healthcare, conservation efforts, recycling and sustainability, computer infrastructure, and child development services for individuals and families. Over the next year, YouthBuild AmeriCorps members will provide more than 750,000 direct service hours and will build at least 240 units of affordable housing for low-income individuals and families.
YouthBuild USA is the nonprofit support center for a global network of more than 280 local YouthBuild programs in 15 countries, with 223 programs in 47 U.S. states and territories and 61 programs in 14 other countries. With love and respect, YouthBuild partners with opportunity youth to build the skillsets and mindsets that lead to lifelong learning, livelihood and leadership. Responding to the urgent need for knowledge, training and opportunity, YouthBuild primarily serves young people who lack a high school diploma and financial resources.
“While transforming their lives through service, YouthBuild AmeriCorps members become the leaders they were always meant to be — and that our world needs,” said John Valverde, president and CEO of YouthBuild USA. “We are so proud of Anthony, whose example reverberates across the county. YouthBuild is honored to partner with him in his journey.”
INDIANAPOLIS – Aug 6, 2024 – EmployIndy is excited to announce that Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) in Indy will be expanding this Fall, including new programs at two Marion County high schools and six Marion County middle schools.
JAG Indy is a state-affiliated program, based on a national model, that aims to keep young people in school through graduation and provide career-connected learning experiences that will lead to career advancement opportunities, or enrollment in a postsecondary institution that leads to a rewarding career.
“EmployIndy is excited to expand JAG Indy’s reach throughout Marion County, providing career-connected learning opportunities for more students in our region,” said Marie Mackintosh, President + CEO of EmployIndy. “The experiences and skills gained through JAG play a critical part in our young people making informed career choices after high school.”
The program’s expansion is a result of the continued success in achieving outcomes for students. JAG Indy recently achieved the National 6 of 6 award for both Multi-Year and Alternative Education programs. This award is achieved by meeting six graduation, further education, and employment standards set by the national organization. Having achieved this designation for the 9th year running, JAG Indy’s multi-year programs boasted a 98% graduation rate as well as a 75% full-time positive outcome rate, with the latter highlighting the percentage of students that entered full-time employment and/or further education.
“We were thrilled to have recently been awarded the 6 of 6 designation from JAG National,” said Erika Seydel Cheney, VP of Career Connected Learning at EmployIndy. “The hard work from our team, our JAG Specialists, and our JAG students was deservedly recognized and will give us added confidence as we expand this year.”
JAG Indy’s expansion in the high school space will include new programs at both Irvington Preparatory Academy and Victory College Prep. Expansion into the middle school space will include new programs at three Washington Township middle schools (Eastwood, Northview, and Westlane) as well as new programs at three IPS middle schools (H.L. Harshman, Broad Ripple, and William Penn). In addition to these new programs, JAG Indy will add an out-of-school youth focused JAG program within YouthBuild Indy, an EmployIndy led construction training program.
To get involved, students and parents are encouraged to contact their school’s administration office to connect to their JAG Specialist. Learn more about JAG Indy by visiting www.employindy.org/youth-services/jag.
INDIANAPOLIS – May 9, 2024 – This morning, Mayor Joe Hogsett, the Office of Minority and Women Business Development, EmployIndy, and over 50 local employers gathered at the 23rd Annual Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity Awards to recognize organizations who demonstrate inclusivity in the workplace and are dedicated to supporting diverse individuals and continuing progress in our community. This year’s event took place in-person at the Culinary and Conference Center at Ivy Tech Community College, with over 400 in attendance to hear local leaders share their experiences and best practices for progressing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace.
This event places a special emphasis on the importance of supporting youth employment in Marion County as proceeds go to support Project Indy, an initiative developed by Mayor Joe Hogsett in 2016 and housed within EmployIndy. Through Project Indy’s virtual platform that utilizes text messaging to recruit and onboard job seekers, nearly 18,000 young adults in Marion County have been connected to work experiences that build their employability skills and allow them to explore new career fields.
“My congratulations to all of this year’s Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity Award winners,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “We extend this recognition each year because diversity is one of our city’s greatest strengths – and embracing that diversity, ensuring every resident has the opportunity to participate in our growth and success, benefits our whole community.”
A new award was added to this year’s event; the Excellence in Service Community-Based Organization (CBO) Award. This award celebrates a non-profit community-based organization that provides excellent and inclusive workforce development services to Marion County residents and employers.
In total, seven awards were given at this year’s event with unique focuses including celebrating the quality of services delivered by community-based organizations, impact of youth apprenticeships, good wages and employee support, excelling in youth employment, diversity in leadership, and a focus on workplace culture.
“EmployIndy is excited to partner with Mayor Hogsett and the City of Indianapolis to recognize organizations who have proven their commitment to equitable practices in hiring, leadership, quality jobs, culture, and service delivery,” said Marie Mackintosh, president & CEO of EmployIndy. “This year’s new award for Community-Based Organizations aligns with our strategic focus on building capacity among our ecosystem partners to ensure quality career coaching and employment services are delivered across Marion County.”
Award recipients at this year’s event are as follows:
“Excellence in Service Community-Based Organization (CBO) Award” was awarded to Keys2Work for their provision of excellent and inclusive workforce development services to Marion County residents and employers.
“Dr. Mechelle Polter Youth Apprenticeship Employer of the Year” was awarded to Indianapolis Airport Authority for their dedication to providing high school students with a positive trajectory to actively pursue a career by providing valuable, paid apprenticeship opportunities that complement their traditional coursework.
“Choice Employer” was awarded to Citizens Energy Group for offering all full-time employees a good wage of $18 an hour and benefits and embodies the traits of a “Choice Employer,” by creating a work environment that focuses on supporting Career Pathways, Culture and Diversity, and Employee Resources.
“Excellence in Youth Employment” was awarded to Arcamed LLC for their commitment to offering youth and young adults in Indianapolis an opportunity for their first job and embraces a culture that promotes the personal growth of those individuals through mentoring and advancement.
“Diversity in Workforce” was awarded to O’Neal Manufacturing Services who, in the past year, successfully implemented best practices to support workforce diversity.
“Diversity in Leadership” was awarded to Morales Group Staffing who cultivates an atmosphere of growth, particularly when considering upper-level diversity as well as actively supporting a diverse organizational culture.
“Sam H. Jones ‘Best of the Best’” was awarded to Indy Equity Collaborative for exemplary performance in all aspects of diversity.
Individuals who are interested in supporting youth employment in Marion County through Project Indy can donate online at www.employindy.org/mcod-donate. More information about Project Indy can be found at projectindy.net.
Indianapolis – March 7, 2024 – This morning, Mayor Joe Hogsett, EmployIndy, and partners kicked off the summer hiring season by announcing the 2024 edition of the Project Indy summer jobs initiative at Victory Field. Project Indy is currently offering nearly 2,450 available positions from over 100 local employers on its online platform at projectindy.net, which makes it easier than ever for young people to get connected to employers who are hiring.
“We’re excited to welcome the Indianapolis Indians and Victory Field into the Project Indy family of youth employers,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Since 2016, thousands of young people and hundreds of local employers have used this tool to find and fill the jobs that support a more prosperous and qualified Indy workforce.”
Project Indy was launched in 2016 by Mayor Hogsett alongside EmployIndy, the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee (GIPC), and the Marion County Commission on Youth (MCCOY). Since its launch, Project Indy has empowered nearly 17,500 young adults in Marion County by providing work experiences that build their employability skills and allow them to explore new career fields. During that time, over 350 employers have posted open positions on the portal.
Youth ages 16-24 can get started using Project Indy’s virtual job board by simply texting“ProjectIndy” to 317-659-9657. This easy-to-use online platform utilizes text messaging to recruit and onboard job seekers, includes a location-based tool that works to connect youth to nearby opportunities, and also allows for filtering job opportunities by interest. Once registered, job seekers can easily apply to any of the hundreds of open positions by providing a few pieces of basic information.
By hiring young adults throughout Marion County, local employers provide soft-skill development and job-readiness training, playing an important role in training our future workforce. Employers, such as new Project Indy partner Indianapolis Indians, benefit by creating a talent pipeline for their business or industry.
“Hiring young people is key to our success and we feel Project Indy is going to benefit us a lot in that effort,” said Business Operations Manager at the Indianapolis Indians, Sarah Haynes. “Some of our key leaders got their start in part-time or internship positions here, and we look forward to sparking career interest in our new hires.”
EmployIndy, which administers Project Indy, will continue promoting the virtual platform through face-to-face recruiting at Indianapolis-area high schools, targeted social media campaigns, and presence at local youth hiring fairs. In 2023, over 700 young people in Indianapolis were connected to job opportunities through Project Indy.
“Project Indy is one of our Career-Connected Learning initiatives within EmployIndy that ensures young adults are prepared for success in the 21st-century economy,” said EmployIndy President + CEO, Marie Mackintosh. “Additionally, Project Indy gives employers the opportunity to modernize their recruitment strategy through discovering, hiring, and developing the right talent.”
In 2018, EmployIndy, in partnership with the City of Indianapolis and the Indy Chamber, launched Job Ready Indy, an online employability skills program focused on providing the soft skills needed to succeed in the workplace. When an individual completes one of the online courses, a Job Ready Indy badge will appear on their Project Indy profile – notifying an interested employer that they are deemed by EmployIndy and the Indy Chamber as someone who demonstrates the “job-ready” skills important to the workplace.
Employers interested in hiring youth can sign up to be a Project Indy partner here. Youth interested in joining the Project Indy platform can get started by simply texting “ProjectIndy” to 317-659-9657 or visiting projectindy.net.
INDIANAPOLIS – February 22, 2024 – EmployIndy is grateful for the continued support of Lilly Endowment Inc. to sustain and improve EmployIndy’s Youth Employment System (YES) to effectively address education and employment disparities for Opportunity Youth–youth and young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not in school and not working–in Indianapolis.
According to Measure of America’s Youth Disconnection in America Tool and 2021 American Community Survey data, there are roughly 25,200 Opportunity Youth in Central Indiana, with 15,800 of these disconnected youth residing in Marion County. Youth can become disconnected from education and employment for various reasons such as inadequate access to job training, homelessness, involvement with the justice system, and lack of familial support.
The new $5.5 million Lilly Endowment grant will help EmployIndy strengthen its partnership with community-based organizations that are central to how YES Indy provides guidance and resources to low-income, out-of-school young adults in Marion County so they can set and reach their educational and employment goals.
EmployIndy launched a new three-year strategic plan in 2023, with a focus on scaling four quality interventions that have impact across all populations to address equity and opportunity gaps in education and employment. These interventions include Career-Connected Learning, Coaching + Training, Talent Connection, and Good Jobs. EmployIndy has braided state and federal funding with philanthropic funding to expand and strengthen the delivery of YES Indy quality career navigation services both directly and in partnership with community-based organizations who are essential to this work. These services include developing effective outreach through the Re-Engagement Center (REC) model, providing employability and industry skills trainings, and offering valuable work experiences and job placements.
“We are grateful for Lilly Endowment’s support of our strategic efforts to provide young adults with more opportunities to prepare for sustainable employment,” says EmployIndy President & CEO Marie Mackintosh. “These funds will enable us to continue to expand and enhance the efforts of youth-serving organizations in our community who are re-engaging and supporting those disconnected from school and the workplace.”
In addition to supporting YES Indy network community organizations (see full list below) that directly provide youth services, EmployIndy will invest these grant funds into three key strategies to increase youth engagement with high-quality services:
Open an additional YES Indy Re-Engagement Center (REC) in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood;
Add two new YES Indy providers to the network; and
Increase wages for all YES Indy provider staff to establish a baseline for Good Wages across the network.
Over the past twenty years, the Lilly Endowment, Inc. has provided support that has enabled more than 8,000 Opportunity Youth to enroll in EmployIndy youth employment services.
To deliver YES Indy services, EmployIndy selects community-based organizations through a competitive procurement process. Our current network of providers include:
Learn more about YES Indy services or connect to a YES Indy service provider at yesindy317.org.
INDIANAPOLIS – 13 November 2023 – Today, Mayor Joe Hogsett recognized the third annual “Apprenticeship Week” in Indianapolis. This week-long celebration, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), will be celebrated by stakeholders who strive to promote both Registered and Youth Apprenticeships throughout Marion County.
“The City of Indianapolis and EmployIndy want to foster as many pathways as possible to the career, wage, and life that residents want,” said Mayor Hogsett. “Through apprenticeship programs, prospective employees can gain access to good-paying jobs, and industries can gain access to a motivated, local workforce.”
Apprenticeships are an industry-driven, high-quality career pathway where employers can develop and prepare their future workforce, and individuals can obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction, and a portable, nationally recognized credential. Youth Apprenticeships, in particular, provide young people with a model of success for introducing our future workforce to expanded career pathways.
High school students who complete the Modern Apprenticeship program, a 3-year youth apprenticeship program launched by EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana in 2020, can 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 pursue a college degree or enter directly into the workforce. Youth apprenticeships offer young people the rare opportunity to get paid to learn while multiplying their options after high school.
EmployIndy is also celebrating our commitment to strengthening and diversifying Registered Apprenticeship programs during this year’s National Apprenticeship Week. As one of more than 200 industry, labor, and community-based organizations– as well as educators, employers, and workforce intermediaries– among the inaugural cohort of the Biden-Harris administration’s Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative, EmployIndy will continue leveraging this designation and additional funding to scale innovative apprenticeship practices in Marion County and Central Indiana.
“EmployIndy is committed to the growth of apprenticeships in our region as a way to help strengthen our local economy, build pipelines to good quality jobs, and advance racial and gender equity,” said Marie Mackintosh, EmployIndy president and CEO. “Through our existing initiatives like Modern Apprenticeship, and future initiatives like the Regional Apprenticeship Hub, we’ll continue to make advancements in removing barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents.”
As the workforce intermediary guiding apprenticeship expansion in non-traditional occupations in Marion County and the greater Indianapolis Region, EmployIndy is uniquely positioned to help local employers build, launch and scale their apprenticeship programs. To expand on this work, EmployIndy is partnering with AIR to launch the Regional Apprenticeship Hub. This hub will convene and coordinate the apprenticeship efforts of partners in the region, enabling an effective and collaborative apprenticeship ecosystem.
As employer demand for highly skilled talent continues to grow, establishing a system of career-connected learning that will create equitable opportunities for all Indianapolis students has become a necessity. This week, we celebrate the recent growth and impact of apprenticeships in Marion County while looking forward to the progress ahead.
For Mendoza, a senior at Arsenal Technical High School, caring for those in her community and prioritizing her education have been important values, instilled in her by her parents, that have helped her be an active leader in her JAG program. Nominated by her peers to serve as JAG student president, Mendoza logged 160 hours of volunteer work with Meals on Wheels during summer breaks. 
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The program’s expansion is a result of the continued success in achieving outcomes for students. JAG Indy recently achieved the National 6 of 6 award for both Multi-Year and Alternative Education programs. This award is achieved by meeting six graduation, further education, and employment standards set by the national organization. Having achieved this designation for the 9th year running, JAG Indy’s multi-year programs boasted a 98% graduation rate as well as a 75% full-time positive outcome rate, with the latter highlighting the percentage of students that entered full-time employment and/or further education.
