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 — Today, April 13, 2023, EmployIndy, Marion County’s Workforce Development Board and local workforce intermediary, announces the launch of a new three-year strategic plan anchored by its mission to guide the local workforce ecosystem and make strategic investments to promote equity and remove barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents.
“This new strategic plan builds on the work of EmployIndy since 2016 to scale quality interventions that lead to economic mobility and is centered on ensuring equity for a diverse and skilled workforce,” said Marie Mackintosh, EmployIndy president and CEO.
These interventions include: Career-Connected Learning to prepare students for success in the 21st-century economy by providing real-world work experiences with local businesses to inform career choices and build skills; Coaching and Training to assist students as they persist through completion of postsecondary education and or training to obtain the specialized skills needed in an evolving economy; Talent Connection, creating efficiencies for both workers seeking employment and businesses seeking workers with individualized connection services in the job-placement process; and Good Jobs that allow businesses to be competitive and thrive in the global marketplace when they invest in job quality and wage equity for their workers to prosper.
EmployIndy will also engage in Advocacy that drives Systems Change to ensure sustainability of interventions that systemically address some of the root causes for equity gaps in educational attainment, in good and promising jobs, and for Opportunity Youth.
Accountability for this work and the impact on the community will be measured– disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender– by increases in postsecondary educational attainment and the number of available good and promising jobs, and a decrease in the number of youth, ages 16-24, who are disconnected from education and or employment.
“A key priority through 2025 will be to hold our organization and those with whom we partner accountable for embracing equity,” says Mackintosh, “Not simply as cultural values but as operational norms expressed through equitable hiring practices, job access, job quality, sustainable wages and health insurance benefits.”
To achieve its strategic goals, EmployIndy is implementing changes to its organizational structure that will help the organization grow efficiently and sustainably to achieve our strategic goals. The new structure is carefully designed to support the alignment of programs and initiatives in the teams needed to oversee the strategic priorities.
EmployIndy guides the local workforce ecosystem and makes strategic investments to promote equity and remove barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents. Our vision is for all Marion County residents to have access to services and training necessary to secure a livable wage and grow in a career that meets employer demand for talent. As the workforce development board for Marion County, guided by 24 business, civic, education and nonprofit community leaders, EmployIndy invests over $20 million in public, private and philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually. EmployIndy stands against all forms of racism – systemic, individual, and structural – as an anti-racist organization. Learn more at employindy.org.
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.
Indianapolis – February 8, 2023 – EmployIndy, Mayor Joe Hogsett, and the Office of Minority and Women Business Development are proud to announce the 22nd Annual Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity Awards will take place on Thursday, April 27th at Ivy Tech Community College – Indianapolis. Beginning at 8 AM, the event will celebrate local employers who have excelled in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion and feature local leaders as they share insights, success stories, and best practices for fostering 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, Mayor Joe Hogsett’s youth jobs initiative. Project Indy is a location-based job search platform that has connected over 13,000 of Indianapolis’ young people, since its launch in 2016, to employment opportunities near them.
Nomination forms for this year’s awards are now available. Submit a local employer excelling in one of the areas outlined below at: employindy.org/MCODNomination. All nominations must be submitted by March 31st.
Awards include:
Sam H. Jones ‘Best of the Best’: This award is named in honor of the Indianapolis Urban League’s first president, a tireless advocate for peace, justice, and racial understanding. An organization nominated for this award is recognized for exemplary performance in all aspects of diversity. In order to be considered for this award, employers will be expected to additionally fulfill the criteria of the Diversity in Leadership and Diversity in Workforce awards.
Diversity in Leadership: This award celebrates an organization who cultivates an atmosphere of growth, particularly when considering upper-level diversity as well as actively supporting a diverse organizational culture. This includes those who create and implement strategies to provide opportunities for all employees to feel integrated and valued within their workplace.
Diversity in Workforce: This award celebrates an organization who, in the past year, successfully implemented best practices to support workforce diversity. These employers promote opportunities that engage and recognize diversity within their place of business.
Excellence in Youth Employment: This award celebrates an organization who has shown a commitment to offering youth and young adults in Indianapolis the opportunity for that first job and embraces a culture that promotes the personal growth of those individuals through mentoring and advancement
Youth Apprenticeship Employer: This award celebrates an organization that is dedicated 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: An organization nominated for this award offers all full-time employees a good wage of $18 an hour and benefits and embodies the traits of “Choice Employer,” by creating a work environment that focuses on supporting Career Pathways, Culture and Diversity, and Employee Resources.
Those who are interested in supporting youth employment in Marion County through Project Indy can donate online at https://employindy.org/connect/donate/. Select “Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity Awards (Project Indy)” in the dropdown menu of the form. More information about Project Indy can be found at projectindy.net.
Marion County youths now have a choice when it comes to skills training. EmployIndy is launching a YouthBuildAmeriCorps Construction and Advance Manufacturing industries training and job placement opportunity for young adults ages 18 – 24.
YouthBuild Indy, in partnership with YouthBuild USA, AmeriCorps, Marian University, Martindale Brightwood Community Development Corporation, Training for Success LLC, and Turner Built Indianapolis, will be offering this 18-week training for those Marion County residents ages 18-24 who are looking to get construction training or earn their HSE/GED while being paid.
The Construction industry in Marion County is projected to continue growing over the next five years, adding nearly 700 positions to the already great need due to the replacement and retirement of existing workers.
Participants can earn up to $6,780 as well as their high school diploma or equivalency. Students will also earn an NCCER construction certification and may qualify for a $1,300 AmeriCorps education award, work experience and job placement.
The Construction training program will take place from March 20th through July 21st, 2023. Classes meet every Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 2 PM. An information session will be held on March 1st at 37 Place Community Center, located at 2605 E 25th Street Indianapolis, IN 46218.
Additionally, EmloyIndy’s YES Indy in partnership with Public Advocate in Community re-Entry (PACE), Training For Success, Marian University, Conexus Catapult and Ivy Tech Community College is sponsoring a 13-week Advanced Manufacturing training course, beginning on March 6th. Participants can earn up to $5,930 and a Catapult Advanced Manufacturing Standardized Work Training Certificate; they will also gain 6 Ivy Tech Community College credit hours, work experience and job placement.
The training requires a High School Diploma, GED, or High School Equivalency. Participants must be 18 – 24 years old, have six months or more of stable work history, access to transportation and want to pursue a manufacturing career. Advanced Manufacturing training starts with an orientation on March 1st and training will be held March 6th through June 2nd, classes meet every Monday through Friday at various times and locations. Limited spots are available for this training.
The registration deadline for both training courses is February 24th. Reentry and justice-involved are welcome to apply.
INDIANAPOLIS — Today, February 6, 2023, EmployIndy, Marion County’s Workforce Development Board, has named Esther Woodson as its new executive director of Indy Achieves. Effective immediately, Woodson succeeds Matt Impink who has led the initiative since its launch by Mayor Joe Hogsett and his administration in 2018. Woodson joined EmployIndy in February 2019, most recently serving as senior director for Indy Achieves.
Indy Achieves is focused on closing the skills gap in Indianapolis by increasing the proportion of residents with high-quality credentials to 65% by 2027 and by eliminating the attainment gaps that currently exist for minority students. To accomplish this, Indy Achieves works to actively increase the number of individuals who apply for existing financial aid programs such as 21st Century Scholars and FAFSA, as well as provide Promise Scholarships, Completion Grants and wraparound support services for Marion County students who attend Ivy Tech Indianapolis and IUPUI.
Woodson, a native of Indianapolis, is a proud graduate of Indianapolis Public Schools and a 21st Century Scholar, attending Crispus Attucks Middle School and Northwest High School. She then went on to pursue her undergraduate degree at the Indiana University School of Journalism, followed by 15 years in secondary and post-secondary education in Indianapolis and will complete her pursuit of a graduate degree in Management and Leadership later this year. Today she attributes her personal and professional achievements to the 21st Century Scholars Program, along with a host of family, mentors, teachers and friends.
“Indy Achieves Scholars are the future workforce and leaders of Marion County,” said Woodson. “I am excited to lead Indy Achieves forward, working collaboratively with K12 and postsecondary to ensure all Indianapolis students, particularly minorities, have the education, experiences and resources needed to complete a high-quality credential that leads to good and promising jobs in our community.”
To improve access to postsecondary education, Indy Achieves processed 710 21st Century Scholars applications, accounting for roughly 19 percent of the overall scholars from Marion County in the 2021-2022 school year. To ensure postsecondary persistence and completion, Indy Achieves offers coaching services and scholarships that supported 199 graduates at IUPUI and Ivy Tech Indianapolis last year. This student success coaching model has increased postsecondary retention by as much as a13 percent over comparison groups.
“This year, as Esther takes the reigns, Indy Achieves will grow by half a million dollars in City funding,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “That will enable our growing program to impact hundreds of additional Indianapolis students, many of them traveling a path that Esther knows personally.”
Woodson has been recognized locally by several organizations for her commitment to education and community, receiving the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana Big Sister of the Year Award in 2015 and the Live United Volunteer of the Year Award in 2014. She was recently a finalist for both the Center for Leadership Development Minority Achievers Award in 2022 and the Inspire Awards “The Power of Mentoring” Youth Mentor in 2018. A member of The Father’s Heart Ministries Church, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Chi Chi Omega Chapter, and an active Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana, Woodson resides on the west side of Indianapolis with her husband and two teenage sons.
EmployIndy guides the local workforce ecosystem and makes strategic investments to remove barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents. Our vision is for all Marion County residents to have access to services and training necessary to secure a livable wage and grow in a career that meets employer demand for talent. As the workforce development board for Marion County, guided by 24 business, civic, education and nonprofit community leaders, EmployIndy invests over $20 million in public, private and philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually. EmployIndy stands against all forms of racism – systemic, individual, and structural – as an anti-racist organization. Learn more at employindy.org.
City of Indianapolis celebrates apprenticeship programs in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Apprenticeship Week
INDIANAPOLIS – 14 November 2022 – Today, Mayor Joe Hogsett recognized the second annual “Apprenticeship Week” in Indianapolis. This week-long celebration, occurring the second full week of November and in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), will be lifted up by stakeholders who strive to promote both Registered and Youth Apprenticeship throughout Marion County.
“Our city recognizes that apprenticeships can train our workforce and build a pipeline into good, quality jobs in order to address our city’s pressing workforce challenges,” said Mayor Hogsett. “We continue to support programming like Registered and Youth Apprenticeship, a proven and industry-driven training model, to connect employers with talent.”
Apprenticeships prepare people of all ages and backgrounds for sustainable careers by providing them with in-demand skills and relevant job experience so they can prepare for and thrive in a fast-changing job market. 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 Modern Apprenticeship, a youth apprenticeship program, have the opportunity to participate in hands-on work experience that complements their traditional coursework, in growing fields such as business, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and information technology (IT). Afterward, they can continue on to a college degree or jump right into the workforce. 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 leverage this designation and additional funding to scale innovative apprenticeship practices in Marion County and Central Indiana, including Registered and Modern Apprenticeship.
“EmployIndy is eager to continue to expand Apprenticeship programs for all Marion County residents, including underserved and underrepresented populations,” said Marie Mackintosh, EmployIndy president and CEO. “As we work to increase the accessibility of Registered and Youth Apprenticeship programs, we will create more economic equity for all workers in our community.”
Registered Apprenticeship is a high-quality, equitable earn-and-learn model that provides workers with immersive learning experiences, job-related instruction with a mentor, and a clear pathway to a good-paying job. The programs include a nationally-recognized credential system that helps employers hire a more demographically diverse workforce across 40 in-demand industries.
As employer demand for highly-skilled talent continues to grow, it is necessary to establish a system of career-connected learning that will create equitable opportunities for all Indianapolis students. This National Apprenticeship Week, we celebrate the strides of apprenticeship in Marion County thus far while looking forward to the progress ahead.
Partner organizations and apprenticeship stakeholders throughout Central Indiana can celebrate Apprenticeship Week by accessing our media toolkit. Tune into in EmployIndy’s social media platforms throughout the week to learn more about #NAW2022.
Modern Apprenticeship was launched in 2020 by EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana for Indianapolis high school students to prepare them for the future in high-demand industries. This program is a three-year work-based learning experience with local employers, where students will emerge with a high school diploma, college credits, relevant credentials, and professional experience. Learn more at indymodernapprenticeship.com
About EmployIndy
EmployIndy guides the local workforce ecosystem and makes strategic investments to remove barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents. Our vision is for all Marion County residents to have access to services and training necessary to secure a livable wage and grow in a career that meets employer demand for talent. As the workforce development board for Marion County, guided by 24 business, civic, education and nonprofit community leaders, EmployIndy invests over $20 million in public, private and philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually. EmployIndy stands against all forms of racism – systemic, individual, and structural – as an anti-racist organization. Learn more at employindy.org.
INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 3, 2022) – A new report from Ascend Indiana and EmployIndy shows that as the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions began to ease over time, a vast and permanent shift emerged showing that highly skilled, highly educated workers were the most in-demand, while at the same time, Indiana was seeing significant declines in postsecondary enrollment by Indiana residents. In addition, the report shows that equity gaps in postsecondary education are reflecting those found in the workforce.
“As the labor market continues to change at a rapid pace, it is more important than ever for Indiana to produce and retain more college graduates with relevant and marketable knowledge, skills and abilities in order to obtain high-demand jobs being offered in growing numbers by employers,” said Jason Kloth, president and CEO of Ascend Indiana. “It is even more evident that additional steps need to be taken to assist Black and Hispanic/Latino students, who experienced the sharpest 2020 postsecondary enrollment declines during the pandemic, a trend that jeopardizes economic well-being for all.”
The report, Indiana’s Evolving Labor Market: How the Pandemic has Accelerated Misalignment in Talent Supply and Demand, was produced by Ascend Indiana, the talent and workforce development initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), and EmployIndy, the workforce development board for Marion County. The report is intended to capture major changes in the supply and demand for talent in Indiana and in Central Indiana (Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson MSA).
This report highlights the increasing importance of long-standing macroeconomic trends related to globalization, automation, and digitization and their impact on Indiana’s labor market. Many of these trends existed long before the pandemic began, but the events of the last two-and-a-half years have escalated the misalignment in the Indiana labor market.
Several key findings of labor market misalignment were found in the analysis with the following being the most prominent:
The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly accelerated demand for degreed talent and slowed demand for non-degreed talent.
From 2011 to 2019, most new jobs in Indiana required a high school diploma or no formal education credential. Due to the disproportionate impact of the pandemic, prior year gains in these jobs were erased. Postsecondary-level jobs, that were minimally impacted in 2020 during the pandemic, now account for a larger share of job growth.
Too few high school students are pursuing postsecondary education, persisting, and graduating with a degree.
Postsecondary enrollment rates once stood at 65% of Indiana high school graduates, but declined to 59% in 2019, and hit a new low in 2020 of 53%.
Equity gaps in postsecondary education reflect those found in the workforce.
Postsecondary outcomes diverge significantly by race/ethnicity and gender. These disparities carry over into workforce outcomes where people of color are underrepresented in high paying, fast growing careers that drive Indiana’s economy.
In Marion County, post-pandemic demand has shifted significantly toward workers with postsecondary education and degrees.
Post-pandemic job projections for Marion County indicate continued growth in jobs requiring a bachelor’s or higher degree levels, but a notable decline in jobs requiring a high school diploma or no formal education credential. The misalignment between job growth and educational attainment in Marion County will likely present significant short- and long-term challenges associated with deepening poverty levels.
“Increasing education and employer partnerships is foundational in changing some of these trends, with employers of all sizes providing career awareness and work-based learning experiences beginning in middle school and extending beyond high school,” said Marie Mackintosh, president and CEO, EmployIndy. “Engaging students and offering quality work-based learning opportunities including in-class and real-world experiences, has shown to be successful in supporting career readiness and workforce alignment, but more needs to be done to adopt data-driven strategies to expand on these learnings.”
Several opportunities outlined below are intended as recommendations that address alignment gaps and provide equitable opportunities to obtain quality jobs. Additional key recommendations can be found in the full report.
Education and employer partnerships: These are foundational to initial development and successful implementation of aligned learning systems. As co-creators of talent, employers can and should actively engage in education processes to train their employees of tomorrow, including curriculum development, instruction, and experience delivery. Employer engagement with education systems must improve to meet accelerating and changing labor market conditions. Employers of all sizes should provide career awareness and exposure experiences beginning in middle and extending beyond high school.
21st Century Scholars automatic enrollment: Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars program provides income-eligible students up to full tuition and enumerated fees at Indiana postsecondary institutions. The current policy requiring sign up before the end of 8th grade contributes to under half of eligible students enrolling in the program. Students who meet 21st Century Scholar income and academic performance requirements should have access to scholarship funds and program benefits. A policy of automatic student enrollment would encourage more high school students to pursue college and help address Indiana’s declining postsecondary enrollment trends.
Certificate research and analysis: A comprehensive study and evaluation of certificates programs and training providers is needed to understand Indiana’s certificate landscape. The state’s certificate landscape is rapidly expanding and changing, with significant activity not captured in established reporting processes. An analysis of this kind should capture these changes and critically evaluate industry value, stack-ability, job placement and wage growth.
The report also shows that a majority of Indiana’s leading industries including Healthcare, Transportation/Warehousing and Accommodation/Food Services have rebounded from the pandemic and are expected to continue to add more jobs through 2028. The sectors showing the most job posting levels through 2020 and 2021 are Professional/Scientific/Technical Services and Ambulatory Healthcare Services, which stand out for both high wages and high growth projections.
About Ascend Indiana
An initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), Ascend Indiana is committed to making Indiana a place of economic opportunity for all. Ascend connects job seekers to good and promising career opportunities through an innovative job matching platform, the Ascend Network; catalyzes partnerships and provides consulting services to meet high-demand workforce needs through Ascend Services; and conducts research through Ascend Insights to enable systems-level change that positively impacts individuals throughout the state. To learn more, visit ascendindiana.com.
About EmployIndy EmployIndy guides the local workforce ecosystem and makes strategic investments to remove barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents. Our vision is for all Marion County residents to have access to services and training necessary to secure a livable wage and grow in a career that meets employer demand for talent. As the workforce development board for Marion County, guided by 26 business, civic, education and nonprofit community leaders, EmployIndy invests over $20 million in public, private and philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually. Learn more atemployindy.org.
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:
INDIANAPOLIS — Today, October 11, 2022, EmployIndy, Marion County’s Workforce Development Board, has named Marie Mackintosh as its new president and CEO. Effective immediately, Mackintosh succeeds Angela Carr Klitzsch who has led the organization under Mayor Joe Hogsett and his administration since June 2016. Mackintosh joined EmployIndy alongside Carr Klitzsch in June 2016 when she was appointed as the chief operating officer, most recently serving as the organization’s chief strategy officer.
“An Indianapolis native, Marie is keenly aware of the challenges residents face accessing good jobs in a post-pandemic economy with disproportionate opportunity,” said Mayor Hogsett. “She brings deep and valued relationships with key community stakeholders, officials, employers and funders who will pursue thoughtful and equitable workforce solutions for our community.”
Most recently, Mackintosh has led implementation of pivotal investments to improve the local workforce ecosystem, including talent development strategies aimed at addressing systemic barriers for employers and job seekers, including the New Skills Ready Network, Modern Apprenticeship, Talent Bound and Rapid Re-Employment Response. These integrated investments are aimed at ensuring students and job seekers have equitable postsecondary options – informed through career-connected learning – that offer economic mobility through good jobs and good wages, providing a diverse and well-prepared talent pool for Indianapolis employers to grow and thrive.
“I am incredibly proud of innovative solutions that EmployIndy and its partners have created for employers and workers alike during my first six years at EmployIndy,” said Mackintosh, “but our most important work continues to be ensuring a diverse and skilled workforce has equitable access to economic mobility through good jobs.”
In Marion County, the median income of white households is almost twice that of Black households, affirming that all opportunities are not created equal and that a concerted effort must continue to ensure we are building up our communities, households, and residents of color. From July 2021 to June 2022, EmployIndy assisted 50,000 Indianapolis residents, and of those who self-identified, 75% were people of color.
“New EmployIndy initiatives like Choice Employers and Good Wages are helping employers implement hiring and employment practices that will close this opportunity gap as job access, performance, satisfaction, and retention improve,” said Jay Styles, senior director, business partnerships. “Job quality boosts talent attraction in a big way and has currency when filling skilled positions.”
The Good Wages Initiative certifies, celebrates, and showcases Marion County employers that have voluntarily committed to providing full-time employees with a living wage – $18 per hour – and health insurance benefits, and is a recommended hiring and promotions strategy of Business Equity for Indy. Launched just this year, 58 local employers, representing 18 industries and over 23,400 workers are already committed to increasing worker wages by $4.2 million annually.
“As a Good Wages employer with a commitment to equity, EmployIndy sets the highest equity standards for itself as an employer in our community,” said Aman Brar, EmployIndy board chair. “In her new position, Marie will continue to drive thoughtful and equitable solutions through data- and partner-informed processes that further our goal of increasing access.”
Mackintosh brings over 20 years of relevant experience to this role, having worked immediately prior to EmployIndy in various leadership roles at the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, in marketing at a global manufacturer, and in advising and program development at Butler and Depauw universities, respectively. She holds an MBA from Butler University and a BA from Indiana University, she was named one of Indy’s Best and Brightest in 2017 and has served on committees and boards convened by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Indy Chamber, Ascend Indiana, Business Equity for Indy, Far Eastside Collective Impact Council, Thomas Gregg Neighborhood School, and IndyFringe.
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.
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 
