While recent unemployment percentages in Marion County are comparable to those seen pre-pandemic, unemployment and underemployment can still be a stressful experience for individuals in that situation.
As the workforce development board for Marion County, EmployIndy is committed to ensuring all Marion County residents have access to the services and training necessary to secure a livable wage and grow in a career that meets employer demand for talent. In spite of or incidental to macro trends in unemployment numbers, an EmployIndy initiative has had success placing job seekers who are feeling the stress of unemployment or underemployment at companies who need their talent.
“Wednesdays@WorkOne”, a free weekly hiring event at EmployIndy’s full-service center on Indianapolis’ east side, WorkOne Indy, has been boasting an average of nearly 100 job seeker attendees per week. These job seekers are taking advantage of the opportunity to network with the roughly 20 unique hiring employers who attend on a regular basis.
“Word is definitely getting out that we’re here,” Associate Director of Career Services, Bryan Spellman, said. “And we get a lot of returning employers.”
Spellman said that in 2022, the hiring event attracted a total of more than 3,000 job seekers and about 225 employers, which resulted in more than 1,000 hires, a number that gets reported back from attending companies.
In 2023, the hiring event continues to build upon the successes of last year. Just 6 months into the year, Wednesdays@WorkOne has already exceeded half of last year’s number of circulating individuals. It helps that about four new businesses are also showing up per week—at least one indicator that there are still jobs out there to be found—and at least 560 people have landed a job from their interactions with those employers so far this year.
The industries that are represented at the hiring event are impressive and diverse: from healthcare and transportation to manufacturing, maintenance, childcare, culinary, banking, and others. EmployIndy recently spoke with a couple of those employers about what keeps them coming back to Wednesdays@WorkOne.
Barrett & Stokely, a property management company with more than forty housing complexes across Indiana, has become a regular attendee. Talent Acquisition Specialist Carol Cashen said she tries to attend at least one Wednesdays@WorkOne per month in an effort to fill roles like Property Managers, Maintenance Technicians, and Groundskeepers. Interested job seekers can find a list of Barrett & Stokely current openings here.
Meanwhile, First Student Recruiter Kelly Woods also felt strongly about the value Wednesdays@WorkOne provides to her company. She said she has been coming every two weeks for about two years because of the number of applications—for Indianapolis Public Schools’ Bus Monitor and Bus Driver roles—she receives because of the event. The company provides paid CDL B training, and open positions can be found here.
EmployIndy oversees the operations of WorkOne Indy, an American Job Center, at 4410 North Shadeland Avenue on Indianapolis’ east side. The career services, training, and talent connection resources available to job seekers at WorkOne Indy uplifts EmployIndy’s strategic plan theories of change: Coaching + Training and Talent Connection. To learn more about EmployIndy’s commitment to scale quality interventions that lead to economic mobility, check out our recently released 2023-2025 Strategic Plan.
The Wednesdays@WorkOne hiring event is held every Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and is open to the public. No registration is required. Businesses looking to fill their open positions via this hiring event can receive registration information by sending an email to [email protected].
INDIANAPOLIS – EmployIndy, Marion County’s Workforce Development Board and local workforce intermediary, is excited to announce its acceptance into the U.S. Department of Labor’s first ever cohort of the Job Quality Academy. The Job Quality Academy, designed and operated in partnership with Jobs For the Future (JFF), will provide EmployIndy the opportunity to build a greater understanding of job quality principles, how to incorporate them into their policies and programs, and develop methods and tools for assessing progress.
Good jobs are the foundation of an equitable economy that lifts workers and families and makes businesses more competitive, but many Americans lack work that provides them with decent pay, benefits, safety, or hours that allow them to take care of both their work and home responsibilities. These problems are even more pronounced for workers from historically marginalized communities and in certain industries, such as hospitality and the care economy.
The U.S. Departments of Labor and Commerce identified principles of a good job, which include equitable recruitment and hiring; benefits; diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA); empowerment and representation; job security and working conditions; organizational culture; pay; and skills and career advancement. A good job is one that helps workers achieve economic stability and mobility, while prioritizing diversity and worker voice.
“We know the Job Quality Academy will add even more momentum to our efforts around good jobs, that we’ve outlined in our recently launched three-year strategic plan as well as the implementation of our Choice Employers initiative,” said Marie Mackintosh, president and CEO of EmployIndy. “Marion County businesses will be competitive and thrive when they invest in job quality and wage equity practices, leading to an increase in the number of good jobs in our regional economy and more prosperous workers.”
As expectations on employers to offer quality jobs in Central Indiana are rising, EmployIndy has recently launched its Choice Employers initiative to help Marion County organizations find the right combination of actions to reduce turnover, offer a strong company culture, and be considered an ideal place to work. Through the Good Wages Initiative, a pillar of Choice Employers, EmployIndy has already certified over 70 local employers, representing 18 industries and nearly 25,000 workers, who have committed to increasing worker wages by $5.1M.
With the additional three pillars of the Choice Employer initiative including Culture and Diversity, Employee Supports, and Career Pathways, EmployIndy will utilize the learnings and best practices from the Job Quality Academy to strengthen and increase its impact locally.
Launched in Spring 2023 and set to span roughly 6 months, including two 3-day in-person summits in Washington, DC, the Job Quality Academy comprises up to 16 teams, including workforce boards, state workforce boards, state workforce agencies, and tribal organizations, representing communities across the nation. To maximize learning, EmployIndy has invited representatives from three local employer partners, B&W Plumbing and Heating, IEC-Indy, and UA Local 440, to join them for the duration of the academy. With construction industry roles in high-demand, EmployIndy’s Job Quality Academy team chose these partners in order to produce a template that is replicable throughout all industries.
INDIANAPOLIS – April 17, 2023 – This morning, Mayor Joe Hogsett, City-County Council President Vop Osili, EmployIndy, and community partners announced the launch of YES Indy’s new Re-Engagement Center (REC), located at Watkins Park. EmployIndy’s “Youth Employment System”, YES Indy, established the REC model to provide safe spaces where “Opportunity Youth” – residents ages 16-24 who have disconnected from education and/or employment – can participate in open gym basketball and get connected to career services.
“The more accessible we can make post-secondary education and employment, the more people will choose that path,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “By addressing significant barriers to school and jobs, the new YES Indy REC at Watkins Park makes resuming your education or professional ambitions easier for residents of the northwest side.”
In Central Indiana, there are an estimated 30,000 Opportunity Youth who are not engaged in education and or the workforce. Since the launch of the first YES Indy REC in 2018 at the Finish Line Boys & Girls Club, 2,476 young people have registered for open gym sessions, with 240 having been entered into the YES Indy system where they have received barrier-busting support (such as vouchers for child care, legal assistance, housing, or transportation), career services, and connection to education, training, and job opportunities.
“In alignment with our strategic plan, YES Indy RECs are a tangible way EmployIndy seeks to promote equity and remove barriers to quality employment for underrepresented residents,” said Rev Rodney Francis, EmployIndy Chief Programs Officer. “As the importance of postsecondary training has grown, coaching and connection to career services have become even more vital to navigate options and persist through to completion.”
A major factor in the success of the REC model, and in particular the Watkins Park REC, is EmployIndy’s work to build collaborative partnerships with community organizations. Through a partnership with Indy Parks and Recreation, young people now have a space on the northwest side to get engaged and reconnect to education or the workforce through YES Indy. And through neighboring YES Indy provider Flanner House as well as service provider Training for Success LLC, career services and support are nearby to help them take that next step in their professional journey.
“After having spent some time attending a university, and feeling it wasn’t a good fit, I found myself working several hourly jobs, with not much direction,” said Chance Blackwell, YES Indy Watkins Park REC participant. “Getting connected to Flanner House through the REC has been helpful as I look to pursue my EMT certification and use those skills to help others.”
Once engaged at the Watkins REC, young people also have the opportunity to enroll in the YES Indy Power Huddle, a two-week job readiness experience where they will learn to foster a growth mindset, as well as earn two Job Ready Indy badges: Mindsets and Social Skills. During the Power Huddle, participants reframe their view of their own future and are introduced to opportunities available through YES Indy, such as achieving their high school equivalency, working with a career coach, enrolling in training, and being connected to employment opportunities. Since 2018, 423 young people have participated in the Power Huddle program.
“By creating opportunities for youth to feel not only safe, but seen, trust is being built in spaces that systemically and historically have pushed them aside,” said Pamela Ross, Vice President of community leadership and equitable initiatives for The Indianapolis Foundation. “The result is youth who are more open, which allows the community to thrive.”
The YES Indy REC at Watkins Park will host open gym sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Residents interested in learning more about this REC location and available services are invited to attend a public open house on Saturday, April 22nd at 10:00 AM, that will feature a basketball tournament and the chance to connect with several local organizations, such as Indy Parks, that will have information on employment and training opportunities. For questions regarding the April 22nd open house, email Tawnya McCrary at [email protected].
Youth and young adults can learn more about YES Indy services or connect to a YES Indy service provider at yesindy317.org.
Indianapolis – March 1, 2023 – This morning, Mayor Joe Hogsett, EmployIndy, and partners kicked off the summer hiring season by announcing the 2023 edition of the Project Indy summer jobs initiative at the Skateland roller skate rink. Project Indy is currently offering over 2,700 available positions from 108 local employers on its online platform at projectindy.net, which makes applying for jobs easier than ever.
“For decades, Skateland has been a bedrock westside institution, and we are glad to welcome it into the Project Indy family of employers,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Since 2016, Project Indy has been an accessible route to high-quality employment for thousands of young residents.”
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 15,000 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, nearly 300 employers have posted open positions on the portal.
Through Project Indy’s virtual platform that utilizes text messaging to recruit and onboard job seekers, youth ages 16-24 can get started by simply texting “Project Indy” to 317-659-9657. This easy-to-use online platform is a location-based tool that works to connect youth to nearby opportunities and includes an enhanced tool to filter 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 can provide valuable job opportunities, soft-skill development, and job-readiness training. Additionally, the program offers employers, such as new Project Indy partner Skateland, the opportunity to create a talent pipeline for their business or industry and play an important role in training the future workforce.
“The majority of our staff are teenagers, still in school. Hiring them is an important part of their growth and helps them as they enter the workforce,” said Rodney Williams, General Manager at Skateland. “We’re always looking to hire new young people who we can train and we feel Project Indy is going to benefit us a lot in that effort.”
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 2022, over 2,000 young people in Indianapolis were connected to job opportunities through Project Indy.
“Project Indy is one of many initiatives within EmployIndy that ensures both young adults and employers are prepared for the changing needs of today’s economy,” said EmployIndy President & CEO, Marie Mackintosh. “Through the online portal, young adults from all backgrounds have access to local employers. This helps them not only gain valuable work experience and develop their soft-skills but also works to build a stronger talent pipeline in Marion County.”
In 2018, EmployIndy, in partnership with Mayor Joe Hogsett’s office 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.
A toolkit with social media assets and other materials is available here.
To speak with a young adult who has benefited from Project Indy, please reach out to Austin Jenness at [email protected] or by calling (317) 605-2742.
When considering the more-influential businesses in Central Indiana, one is unlikely to leave Cummins—designer and manufacturer of engines and other powerful technologies with more than 9,000 locations worldwide—off the list. Cummins’ Technical Education for Communities (TEC) Manager, Rick Hudson, has an interesting take on just what Cummins means to Central Indiana: “We can’t be strong as a company if the communities we’re in aren’t strong.”
The Cummins’ TEC program, which has expanded to 26 locations since its inception in 2012, aims to enrich the skills and strength of young people in communities around the world. The program gathers a coalition from government, industry, and nonprofit organizations to work together to provide technical work-based learning at local schools. The program boasts a graduation rate of more than 80%, and more than 70% of those graduates are quickly placed into technician job placements.
“EmployIndy is the first workforce development board that has ever had a logo on our list of partners from day one,” Hudson said. While Cummins had been familiar with EmployIndy from other involvements, he added that one immediate value that came out of his year-plus correspondence with Styles was the labor market information she provided, which demonstrated the need for more automotive and diesel technicians in Marion County.
It was also essential, according to Hudson, that Arsenal Tech already had a program that emphasizes automotive technical education. “The curriculum was already good,” Hudson said. What TEC will do is supplement what is already in place with buy-in from a number of local employers who donate equipment and additional expertise, while also conveniently serving as possible employment landing spots for students who complete the program.
Cummins does want to hire some of the students that come out of TECs, but they intentionally limit themselves to taking no more than 20% of graduates. This encourages and even necessitates participation from a host of companies that Hudson admits will include—in Indianapolis—one of Cummins’ top competitors.
For any employers who may come from a different industry but still possess an interest in developing a presence in high school and young adult spaces for the purpose of providing career education, work-based learning opportunities, and potentially building long-term employment pipelines, EmployIndy’s Talent Bound does just that. We are always looking for more invested partners, and you can reach out to a member of the Business Partnerships team to start the conversation, get your questions answered, and learn about next steps.
Dear Partners and Friends,
2022 has been a year of significant growth and transformation for EmployIndy. As the year comes to a close, we are especially grateful to our Board and to each of our local, statewide, and national partners for working with our team to make real our vision that all residents in Indianapolis will have the opportunity to achieve economic prosperity.
Creating equitable opportunities has never been more important than it is today as we work to address some of the significant challenges the pandemic left in its wake, as illuminated in our recent report, Indiana’s Evolving Labor Market, released in partnership with Ascend Indiana. In short, too few people in our community are gaining the credentials currently required by businesses with open positions across sectors, and we must be bold in our collective efforts to reverse this troubling trend.
As I look back on our work from July of 2021 to June of 2022, I am hopeful despite our current realities. I could not be prouder of the promising practices and strong outcomes of our growing education and employment programs. We had over 31,000 in-person visits at WorkOne Indy; provided nearly 23,000 career exploration experiences to K-12 Marion County students through Talent Bound; and engaged 4,677 individuals in work-based learning experiences. We also placed 1,489 individuals into good and promising jobs through Wednesdays@WorkOne and Rapid Re-Employment Response, which launched in the early days of the pandemic. All of this good work was only made possible through the engagement of 2,198 Indianapolis employers in talent development strategies and placement services; the partnership of more than 160 education, training, community-based, and service providers throughout our workforce ecosystem; the investment of over $20,216,434 in local programs and initiatives from federal, state, local, corporate, and philanthropic funds; and the dedicated EmployIndy team of 82 education and workforce professionals. In total, we served over 50,000 residents of Indianapolis, and of those who self-identified, 75% were people of color.
As we prepare to launch our new strategic plan in early 2023, EmployIndy remains focused on investing in our communities, households, and underrepresented residents. We will take what we have learned as practitioners and from our partners to build better systems that create more scalable and equitable outcomes for the people of our community. In fact, we are already engaging in systems change efforts and plan to accelerate this work in the coming years.
Modern Apprenticeship, in partnership with the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation and Ascend Indiana, is changing employer practices on minimum age requirements for employment both locally and nationally.
Through the Accelerate ED initiative, EmployIndy and its partners have created a blueprint for a high-quality cybersecurity pathway beginning in high school and accelerating the attainment of an associate degree in year 13.
The Indianapolis New Skills Ready Network, funded through JPMorgan Chase & Co, has partnered with state leaders to create a career advising framework that establishes standards, milestones, and strategies by K-12 grade band.
With our partners, EmployIndy is tackling dominant narratives with the Walton Family Foundation and Wonder to change the story around traditional postsecondary choices as the only quality options for economic opportunity.
Launched in 2022 as part of an Enhancing Opportunity in Indianapolis grant, the Good Wages Initiative will close the year with 60+ certified employers, representing 18 industries and nearly 25,000 workers, who have committed to increasing worker wages by $5M. As a Good Wages employer, EmployIndy’s commitment to more equitable hiring and employment practices has resulted in a staff that is 42% racially and ethnically diverse, with more work to do to mirror the community we serve.
In the new year, we will continue to work to close the opportunity gap by focusing on career-connected learning, investing in quality coaching and training, facilitating connections to good jobs, and ensuring the business community offers more good jobs across sectors.
Thank you for all of your contributions to the positive impact that EmployIndy has had, and will continue to have, across our community.
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes in 2023!
Kind Regards, Marie Mackintosh, President & CEO EmployIndy
INDIANAPOLIS – On August 1, 2022, Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) – Indianapolis launched a new program location at Franklin Central High School, bringing its reach to a total of 19 programs in 16 Marion County high 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 work-based learning experiences that will lead to career advancement opportunities, or enrollment in a postsecondary institution that leads to a rewarding career.
JAG Indy’s program expansion into the Franklin Township Community School Corporation was made possible by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), which recently awarded 97 schools and community partners with more than $57 million in Explore, Engage and Experience (3E) grant funding. With the purpose of this grant funding focused on strengthening, expanding and creating effective career pathways throughout students’ K-12 learning, JAG Indy will utilize this funding to bring its resources to juniors and seniors at Franklin Central High School where they will have the opportunity to learn resume building, career exploration, utilize tools to explore different curricula, and more.
“An increasing number of state, regional, and local partnerships, such as JAG Indy and Franklin Central High School, are being developed to blur the lines between PK-12, higher education, and the workforce,” said Ms. Flora Jones, Director of Student Pathways & Opportunities for the Indiana Department of Education. “Supported by the 3E Grant, more students will have access to resources, mentoring, and follow-up counseling through JAG Indy, ultimately leading them to high-wage, high-demand career opportunities after high school graduation.”
Housed at EmployIndy since 2006, JAG Indy has served over 7,090 students, earned a 5/5 status the past seven years, and is recognized as a Gold Standard program nationally. On average, JAG participants maintain better than a 95% graduation rate and over 75% positive outcomes, or full-time hours pursuing a postsecondary education or retaining employment. “We’re excited to expand into Franklin Central High School and bring great career development experiences and resources to their students,” said Beth Bowling, Director, K-12 at EmployIndy. “As a result of our partnership with the Indiana Department of Education, we’re confident that we’ll see even more Marion County students excel in their pursuit of a rewarding career.”
As students enroll in JAG and have the opportunity to participate in unique career development activities, such as the annual Regional JAG Career Development Conference, schools and the surrounding community also experience the benefit. “Though not even two months into the school year, JAG Indy is increasing student engagement in school and creating new ways for students to connect with each other and the community,” said Amy McCabe, Assistant Principal at Franklin Central High School. “I’m excited to see how it continues to impact student attendance, grades, and ultimately, their success once they graduate.”
JAG Indy currently operates programs within the following Marion County schools:
On Wednesday, October 5th, EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana gathered at OneAmerica for the Modern Apprenticeship Employer Info Session + Breakfast. Nearly 40 businesses were represented at the event as the event kicked off employer recruitment for the third cohort of Marion County’s Modern Apprenticeship program.
Modern Apprenticeship (MAP) is a 3-year work-based learning program that begins during a student’s junior year in high school. The program offers students paid employment, which is critical to making the program a sustainable solution to address inequity in Marion County. Students also participate in on-the-job learning that contributes to actual job tasks and aligns with role competencies and related academics. When students graduate from the Modern Apprenticeship program, they earn industry credentials as well as transferable college credit that not only offer tangible skills during their apprenticeship but will stay with them throughout the duration of their careers,
“Modern Apprenticeship brings together employers, students, and educators to build a sustainable employment pipeline,” says Marie Mackintosh, Chief Strategy Officer at EmployIndy. “These pipelines address employer talent challenges, create a path for student work experience, and provide industry input into education standards and curriculum.”
Additionally, Modern Apprenticeship registers apprenticeship experiences with the U.S Department of Labor via Register Apprenticeship programs (RAPs). RAPs enable more employers to participate in apprenticeships while, simultaneously, increasing their access to quality talent pools.
Businesses struggle to find the talent they need in today’s world of work, yet, at the same time, postsecondary graduation rates are declining, and young people are searching for quality jobs without the credentials or skills to be successful. Over ¾ of Indiana’s employers cannot find qualified candidates for their open positions.
These talent challenges were addressed by a panel of business leaders at the event, including Ayaz Malik, Group Marketing Manager, Digital Strategy at Roche Diagnostics; Michelle Mitchell, National Manager, Early Talent Development at Ascension; Eduardo Nieto, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director at OneAmerica; and Mario Rodriguez, Executive Director of the Indianapolis Airport Authority. The panel was moderated by Jay Styles, Senior Director of Business Partnerships at EmployIndy.
“The healthcare industry is having a great challenge in only finding highly qualified talent, but retaining them as well. All of the Marion County healthcare systems are competing for the same, small supply of candidates,” says Michelle Mitchell, National Manager of Early Talent Development at Ascension. “Ascension has had to rethink how we have defined and pursued talent, and the Modern Apprenticeship program has helped us to create a custom talent pipeline where students are actually looking to create a career.”
The Modern Apprenticeship program also furthers crucial diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as 90% of our current Youth Apprentice are people of color and/or female-identifying. This statistic, alone, defies the perceptions of traditional apprenticeships and speaks to the diverse talent available within our own community.
“Traditionally, the financial services industry is dominated by only a particular demographic,” says Eduardo Nieto, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director at OneAmerica. “Modern Apprenticeship has helped us expand and go beyond the traditional hires we normally have and diversify the talent in our workplace.”
Modern Apprenticeship works as a talent solution for businesses of all sizes as apprentices are able to develop on-the-job skills that are tailored to the company’s needs. Employers are able to develop their own, diverse talent and create opportunities for growth while engaging young people and improving retention by investing in a new way of learning.
“The Modern Apprenticeship program has found a lot of success in giving young leaders within an organization the opportunity to manage apprentices. It is a great way to grow the next generation of leaders within a company,” says Stephanie Bothun, Vice President & Co-founder of Ascend Indiana. “And there’s no better time than now to join Modern Apprenticeship.”
Interested in becoming a Modern Apprenticeship employer? Email [email protected] to begin your organization’s journey with Youth Apprenticeship today!
INDIANAPOLIS – Today at the Campus Center at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Mayor Joe Hogsett, alongside Indy Achieves representatives from both IUPUI and Ivy Tech Community College – Indianapolis, announced a $500,000 increase for Indy Achieves scholarships and grants in the proposed 2023 City Budget. Indy Achieves, housed at EmployIndy, is an initiative launched by Mayor Joe Hogsett in 2018 that aims to ensure that every Indianapolis resident has the ability to pursue and complete a postsecondary credential or degree program.
“This year, nearly five hundred students received Completion Grants through the Indy Achieves Program,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “With a half a million dollar increase in 2023, we can boost that closer to seven hundred. That means even more Indianapolis students will have access to resources to unlock good-paying and rewarding careers, lifting up their families and neighborhoods along with them.”
The proposed increase in funding comes at an important juncture for Indianapolis, as just 41% of Marion County residents hold credentials beyond high school. This percentage highlights a potential shortfall according to a report by the Lumina Foundation, which states that 60% of Indiana jobs will require some form of postsecondary credentials by 2025. In effort to combat this potential shortfall, Indy Achieves works directly with students at IUPUI and Ivy Tech – Indianapolis to provide financial aid as well as proactive and individualized support from Indy Achieves Student Success Coaches in areas including financial literacy, academic planning, accessing campus and community resources, and providing career opportunities. Since its inception in 2018, Indy Achieves has supported over 3,000 Marion County students as they pursue their postsecondary degree or credential, with over $4 million in financial aid provided.
For many Indy Achieves students, the financial aid and wrap-around support they receive plays a vital role in their pursuit of a postsecondary degree or credential. “The completion grant provided me with the support that allowed me to focus on the most important aspect of school, learning,” Indy Achieves Completion Grant recipient Nyree Pegues said. Students, such as Pegues, who receive Completion Grants, are given one-time awards to cover unpaid bursar bills or other substantial debts that would have prevented them from continuing their postsecondary education. In addition to completion grants, Indy Achieves also provides Promise Scholarships to help close any remaining gaps in academic costs at either institution.
“Many Marion County students, despite great academic talent, are still struggling with the financial burden of pursuing a postsecondary degree,” said Indy Achieves Executive Director Matt Impink. “We are eager for this proposed additional funding as we work with Ivy Tech and IUPUI to deliver timely financial aid that students need, so they can focus on preparing for their career here in Indianapolis.”
Present at Mayor Hogsett’s announcement were representatives from both IUPUI and Ivy Tech – Indianapolis, who were eager to show their support. Through this increase in funding, both institutions will gain access to students who, without assistance, might not pursue a postsecondary degree or credential.“IUPUI is proud to partner with the city of Indianapolis and Ivy Tech on this successful initiative. Considering the important role financial resources play in decision-making about college, we are pleased to be able to help our students address financial challenges and create opportunities for Marion County residents through Indy Achieves. This increased investment will allow even more students to pursue their educational goals and build the pathway towards a successful future at IUPUI and beyond,” IUPUI Chancellor Andrew Klein said.
Lastly, in tandem with providing aid for current or future postsecondary students, Indy Achieves partners with Indianapolis schools and nonprofits to expand access to postsecondary degrees or credentials through efforts that increase the number of individuals who apply for existing financial aid programs such as 21st Century Scholars and FAFSA.
To learn more about Indy Achieves or to find out how you can partner, visit www.indyachieves.org.
INDIANAPOLIS — Today, August 31, 2022, Mayor Joe Hogsett visited WorkOne Indy, Marion County’s full-service American Job Center for one-stop career service support. During the visit, Mayor Hogsett toured the WorkOne Indy facility and discussed strategies for re-engaging workers in Indy’s tight labor market with WorkOne and EmployIndy staff. The event took place during Wednesdays @ WorkOne, a weekly hiring event featuring Marion County employers.
“EmployIndy and WorkOne Indy have been tremendous resources for employees and employers alike, especially during the pandemic and its aftermath,” said Mayor Hogsett. “With Wednesdays @ WorkOne, both have a regular opportunity to network and find that perfect employee/employer match. The kinds of relationships built at WorkOne Indy will be critical to securing a strong economic future for our residents and our community.”
So far in 2022, over 85,000 Marion County residents have received job training, job readiness, and job search support at WorkOne Indy via in-person and virtual career workshops, hiring events, one-on-ones with career navigators, and more. Through Wednesdays @ WorkOne hiring events alone, local employers have conducted over 1,400 interviews and hired 663 new workers in 2022.
Angela Carr Klitzsch, EmployIndy president and CEO, led the tour while highlighting how EmployIndy, who oversees WorkOne Indy, has successfully re-engaged workers and assisted local employers with meeting their demand for entry-level to middle-skill workers, post-pandemic. “Our team at WorkOne Indy has been doing an incredible job of making a space for job seekers to build skills and use those new skills as they get connected to hiring employers. And through Wednesdays @ WorkOne, job seekers have weekly opportunities to meet employers who represent a wide range of industries such as finance, healthcare, IT, logistics, manufacturing, nonprofit, and more,” said Klitzsch.
The impacts of COVID-19 on the workforce have created challenges for employers to hire adequate numbers of skilled workers. Even though Marion County’s current unemployment rate is below pre-pandemic levels, the number of unique job postings continues to increase. WorkOne Indy and EmployIndy are working to address the mismatch between the number of available workers and the demand for workers in organizations like LiUNA Local 120, American Senior Communities, and RATP Dev.
LiUNA Local 120, which currently represents 2,100 members in the construction industry within the Indianapolis area, has taken advantage of WorkOne Indy’s services for employers. Through Wednesdays @ WorkOne and their own distinct events at WorkOne Indy, LiUNA Local 120 has hired over 125 new workers this calendar year. “WorkOne Indy has been a great resource for helping us connect with residents who are looking for a way to learn more about the construction industry,” said Marty Corpuz, field representative at LiUNA. “Through their hiring events, we’re receiving a lot of applications and that’s allowing us to move more workers towards our apprenticeship program and an eventual career in construction.”
In addition to the work being done at WorkOne Indy, EmployIndy has various talent solutions to assist employers with customized talent attraction, training, and retention strategies. The Good Wages Initiative, Rapid Re-Employment Response, Modern Apprenticeship, andTalent Bound are just a few of the EmployIndy initiatives to build talent pipelines at an earlier stage, connect employers to talent, and provide robust solutions for meeting workforce needs.
“WorkOne Indy provides over 20 free workshops every week and has career navigators onsite daily to provide individualized assistance. In addition, WorkOne Indy offers the public access to computers, printers, and free wi-fi for their own devices,” said Penny Dunning, vice president of Career Services at EmployIndy.
WorkOne Indy’s full-service location at 4410 Shadeland Ave in Indianapolis is open to the public Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Job seekers are encouraged to view available resources and upcoming workshop details by visitingworkoneindy.com. Employers looking to get connected to a pipeline of talent can learn more by visitingemployindy.org or reaching out to the Business Partnerships team by emailing [email protected].
Once upon a time, Nick Gomillion was a philosophy graduate from Millsaps College in Mississippi. He had, as he told EmployIndy, met and married a Hoosier, which brought him to Central Indiana. Gomillion was also looking for a job at the time, a search that landed him in a bank teller position, which he held for four years.
Gomillion had no idea at the time that he would one day be tasked with hiring entry-level tellers and advocating that they be paid good wages, but several years later, as a Staffing Officer for the National Bank of Indianapolis (NBOI), that’s exactly what he is doing.
The National Bank of Indianapolis has been around since 1993. Partnership with EmployIndy may not go quite that far back, but it goes a lot farther back than Gomillion’s five months in his current professional role. Even so, the decision by his employer to pursue the Good Wages Initiative (GWI), which officially launched in April of 2022, was made during Gomillion’s tenure at NBOI. GWI certifies, celebrates, and showcases Marion County employers that are committed to providing full-time employees both a wage of at least $18/hour and access to health insurance benefits.
“Offering employees a wage of $18/hour and access to health insurance benefits is a fundamental part of employers’ roles in actively investing in Indianapolis’ economic ecosystem,” says Jamey Applegate, director of the Good Wages Initiative at EmployIndy. “GWI certification provides heightened opportunities to promote an employer’s commitment to their employees—which can help those businesses attract the most qualified employees first and continue to sustain our collective workforce.”
GWI’s specific hourly rate target comes from a 2018 Brookings Institution report called “Advancing Opportunity in Central Indiana,” but EmployIndy’s program also, in part, is modeled to resemble North Carolina’s Just Economics, which has been certifying businesses that meet its criteria since 2008.
Despite a state and a federal minimum wage of just $7.25 an hour, NBOI bumped their entry-level hourly pay, according to Gomillion, up to $15 an hour in 2018 and then again to $18 an hour in 2022. Gomillion said NBOI had been considering the latest increase since 2021, but GWI as an incentive didn’t hurt either.
“GWI was not a hard sell,” says Gomillion. “The time is always right to invest in your greatest asset, which is your people. Our leaders want to do right by our employees.”
Gomillion’s language mirrors that of one of NBOI’s founders, Mickey Mauer, who was known to say, “People are the most important part of every deal.” According to Gomillion, the decision to pursue GWI fits in with NBOI’s “culture of excellence.”
The hourly increase at NBOI was made for current employees first but will also apply to all future employees yet to be hired. Entry-level tellers, for which NBOI is currently hiring, have to be 18 years old; if they work at the company for a year, they also gain access to tuition reimbursement resources.
GWI provides participating Marion County employers with marketing resources and a network of other businesses across the city who are committed to investing in their employees. For those businesses who cannot initially meet the $18/hour threshold, GWI offers Committed status for those organizations who are dedicated to raising wages to at least $18/hour and offering access to health insurance benefits within the span of the next two years.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind (May 25, 2022) – EmployIndy is proud to announce our participation in Accelerate ED: Seamless Pathways to Degrees and Careers, an initiative that seeks to blur the lines between high school and higher education and career learning experiences, allowing students to earn a career-aligned credential or degree by the end of just one year after high school.
Together, with 11 other Accelerate ED grantees representing diverse communities and labor markets, EmployIndy and its partners will focus on redesigning K-12 and higher ed structures; strengthening local schools, higher education, community-based organization, and employer partnerships; aligning on common goals for what experiences and opportunities all students should have in grades 9-13; and identifying innovative ways to increase access to reach all students.
“EmployIndy is thrilled to help lead the design of postsecondary pathways in a student’s 13th year with expanded dual enrollment, early college credit, and career experiences in Marion County through the Accelerate ED grant,” says Marie Mackintosh, EmployIndy’s chief strategy officer. “This design sprint will create a blueprint for our community to advance proven delivery models that provide an established route for a student’s successful transition to a degree or the workforce.”
Research shows that these efforts are especially critical for Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds who have historically had less access to high-quality career-aligned education pathways. In addition, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact college enrollment and student performance, there is an urgent need to invest in bridges across K-12, higher education, and the workforce to bring high school, college, and career pathways into tighter alignment.
With a $175,000 grant provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, EmployIndy and its partners making up the Indianapolis design team will seek to scale existing initiatives in Marion County to help ensure more students obtain an associate degree by the end of one additional year after high school graduation and are set on a path to future economic opportunity. The aim of the Accelerate ED initiative is to create exemplars that show that with clear commitment, strong partnerships, and aligned support, all students can successfully navigate transitions from high school to college to work.
The design team includes robust representation from K-12 and post-secondary education, local non-profit and industry organizations, and employers, many of whom are already engaged in work to identify the gaps in systems, processes, and structures specific to transparency for students around career pathway; advising for students and parents about career pathways; dual credit articulation; and consistent and deep engagement of employers in career readiness.
This design team’s service area includes 11 different public school districts with over 100 high schools and 75,000 students. Accelerate ED grantees are participating in a six-month design sprint to learn from each other and find practical solutions to the barriers that currently limit these opportunities from being available to all students. For the purpose of this six-month design sprint, the partners will focus on 12 high schools (with a total of over 5,000 students) within two school districts, IPS and MSD Warren.
“As a partner recipient of the Accelerate ED grant, MSD Warren is eager to strengthen its partnerships across K-12, higher education, local employers, and youth-serving organizations,” says Dr. Steve E. Rodgers, director at Walker Career Center. “From technical assistance to individualized coaching from community-based organizations, the six-month design sprint will help us to ensure that students are heard as we expand programming and that increasing their individual opportunities remains centered in this work.”
Many Central Indiana students currently struggle to advance in their chosen pathway due to credit deficiencies and a lack of certified instructors to teach dual enrollment courses. EmployIndy and its partners will design and expand career pathways in certain key sectors with 13th-year opportunities through existing delivery models such as Ivy Tech’s dual credit program and Associate Accelerated Program (ASAP), and Modern Apprenticeship (MAP)– to increase the number of students successfully persisting through career pathways and earning high-value credentials.
In addition to the development of a 13th-year pathway leading to industry employment, Purdue Global’s involvement in the design team will help illuminate pathways for completion of a bachelor’s degree. The incorporation of Ivy Tech Community College – Indianapolis and Purdue Global (an online program) includes approximately 64,000 additional post-secondary students as part of the geographic scope. Amazon Web Services is working with Ivy Tech to train and certify 5,000 individuals over the next two years.
In 2023, the hiring event continues to build upon the successes of last year. Just 6 months into the year, Wednesdays@WorkOne has already exceeded half of last year’s number of circulating individuals. It helps that about four new businesses are also showing up per week—at least one indicator that there are still jobs out there to be found—and at least 560 people have landed a job from their interactions with those employers so far this year. 
Most program sites are abroad, but the latest TEC addition—Cummins’ fifth in the United States—is in Indianapolis. On January 23rd, 
JAG Indy’s program expansion into the Franklin Township Community School Corporation was made possible by the 
As students enroll in JAG and have the opportunity to participate in unique career development activities, such as the annual 
Modern Apprenticeship (MAP) is a 3-year work-based learning program that begins during a student’s junior year in high school. The program offers students paid employment, which is critical to making the program a sustainable solution to address inequity in Marion County. Students also participate in on-the-job learning that contributes to actual job tasks and aligns with role competencies and related academics. When students graduate from the Modern Apprenticeship program, they earn industry credentials as well as transferable college credit that not only offer tangible skills during their apprenticeship but will stay with them throughout the duration of their careers,
The National Bank of Indianapolis