INDIANAPOLIS – Following bipartisan approval of initial program funding by the City-County Council last night, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced the appointment of Matt Impink as the executive director of the Indy Achieves initiative.
“Last night, a bipartisan, forward-thinking coalition of City-County Councillors helped to provide the initial funding for Indy Achieves, a comprehensive program to make college attainable for every Marion County resident,” said Mayor Hogsett. “I applaud their commitment to decreasing barriers to success and growing our city’s talent pipeline, helping to make the American Dream achievable for all who call Indianapolis home.”
In 2017, Mayor Hogsett brought together representatives from state and local government, institutions of higher education, workforce development and education nonprofits, as well as major corporate employers, to assemble recommendations aimed at improving access to post-secondary educational opportunities for all Marion County residents. Last month, Mayor Hogsett announced the recommendations of that group at Chapel Hill 7th and 8th Grade Center, and launched Indy Achieves.
Indy Achieves, a comprehensive program to make post-secondary credentials and degrees available to every Indianapolis resident, will be housed within EmployIndy, Marion County’s workforce development agency, as a standalone organization with an expected staff of nearly a dozen once fully launched. It will be funded exclusively through an annual appropriation by the City-County Council that will not require any new taxes, as well as through agreements with both Ivy Tech and IUPUI who will financially participate in the program.
As executive director, Matt will guide Indy Achieves’ mission to improve access and completion of high quality degrees and credentials for Marion County students. This will entail offering aid to students through existing scholarships, marshaling private and philanthropic resources to provide wraparound services for residents pursuing a post-secondary degree, as well as monitoring Indianapolis’ workforce needs to ensure the model remains effective.
“Matt’s experience with education and community development have fully prepared him to take on the role of preparing our children for scholastic and professional success through Indy Achieves,” said Mayor Hogsett. “Indy Achieves is bold in both concept and execution, and we’re grateful to have Matt’s leadership at the helm helping to guide Marion County students toward a meaningful role in our 21st-century workforce.”
Prior to being appointed, Matt served as Director of Policy and Civic Engagement at the Indy Chamber where he led the Chamber’s efforts to expand mass transit, grow internship opportunities, and develop an inclusive growth agenda for economic development. Prior to that, Matt worked as a researcher at the IU Public Policy Institute, a community organizer at Stand for Children Indiana, and consultant at Lumina Foundation for Education.
Matt began his career in public education as an 11th grade U.S. History teacher while serving in Teach for America. Matt graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Public Affairs degree from IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI. As a proud Indianapolis native, he serves on the board of directors for Southeast Neighborhood Development (SEND), Indiana INTERNnet, and Latino Youth Collective.
For more information about Indy Achieves, visit IndyAchieves.org.
INDIANAPOLIS – On April 19, 2017, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced the creation of the Indianapolis Promise Task Force. Charged with assembling recommendations on how to improve access to post-secondary educational opportunities for all Marion County residents, the Task Force met regularly over the last year with representatives from state and local government, institutions of higher education, workforce development and education nonprofits, as well as major corporate employers.
Today, Mayor Hogsett announced the recommendations of that group, and launched Indy Achieves, a comprehensive program to make post-secondary credentials and degrees available to every Indianapolis resident.
“More than 60% of jobs in our state require a post-secondary credential or degree, but only 42% of our residents currently possess one,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Indy Achieves will bring together existing resources to send the message that no matter whether you are a current high school student, or an adult looking to move your career to new heights, everyone in Indianapolis can achieve the education they need to compete in a 21st Century economy.”
The Indy Achieves program will have three major responsibilities:
(1) administer the Indy Promise scholarship, which will guarantee free tuition, books, and fees for every Marion County 21st Century Scholar recipient beginning in 2019; (2) administer the Indy Achieves Completion Grant, which is expected to provide more than a million dollars a year in grants to Marion County students of all ages who are pursuing high-demand degree programs; and (3) marshal private and philanthropic resources to provide wraparound services for Marion County residents pursuing a post-secondary degree, including increased participation in state and federal scholarship programs, on time FAFSA completion, and postgraduate connection to employment through groups such as EmployIndy and Ascend.
All of these programs will be available to Marion County residents who are attending Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis or IUPUI.
“Marion County is a donor county, and Indiana is a donor state — and I’m proud the program will be funded by bringing those tax dollars back to Indianapolis and putting them to work on behalf of taxpayers,” added Mayor Hogsett.
Indy Achieves will be housed within EmployIndy as a standalone organization, with an expected staff of nearly a dozen once fully launched. It will be funded exclusively through an annual appropriation that will not require any new taxes, as well as through financial agreements with both Ivy Tech and IUPUI who will financially participate in the program.
“As we continue to guide Marion County’s workforce to meet the talent needs of employers, we are excited to house Indy Achieves within EmployIndy’s walls,” said Angela Carr Klitzsch, President and CEO of EmployIndy. “Our ever-growing ecosystem of connections and partnerships will provide a solid foundation for this important program.”
In addition to these programs, both Ivy Tech and IUPUI have agreed to strengthen and launch services for Indy Achieves students aimed at increasing on time college completion. Coupled with the Indy Promise Scholarship and Completion Grant programs, Mayor Hogsett announced a goal of raising Indianapolis’ college attainment number to 65% by the year 2027.
“Ivy Tech is proud to be an educational partner with the City of Indianapolis in this important program,” Dr. Lee, Chancellor of Ivy Tech Indianapolis. “Indy Achieves will help remove educational barriers and is in line with Ivy Tech’s goal of helping more Hoosiers attain high-value degrees and certificates.”
“At IUPUI, we are looking forward to working with the City of Indianapolis, EmployIndy and Ivy Tech Community College to expand the talent pipeline in Indianapolis and create opportunities for more Marion County residents to pursue college degrees,” said Nasser H. Paydar, Chancellor of IUPUI. “Working together, we can eliminate educational barriers at the same time as we prepare students for success in the classroom and ultimately in the workforce.”
To view the full recommendations of the Indianapolis Promise Task Force, click here.
For more information about Indy Achieves visit IndyAchieves.org.
Lilly Endowment Inc. has approved $5.2 million in grants to EmployIndy to strengthen the services it offers to local organizations that help youth and young adults connect to education support, training, and job coaching.
A $3 million grant from Lilly Endowment will help EmployIndy fund a comprehensive capacity-building plan to improve outreach to youth and young adults so they can learn about employment options, education assistance, and job training that can help them find work and begin to build their careers. Funds also will help EmployIndy increase and strengthen its engagement with Indianapolis employers seeking job-ready candidates.
There are an estimated 30,000 youth and young adults, ages 16-24, who are disconnected from education and employment in central Indiana for a variety of reasons, such as homelessness, criminal history, lack of family support, and inadequate access to job training. EmployIndy will strategically invest grant funds to help community organizations that directly provide youth services so they can reach 6,000 of these young people during the next two years.
A second grant of $2.2 million from Lilly Endowment will provide general operating support for EmployIndy’s Youth Employment Services (YES) program. Lilly Endowment began funding YES in 2003. Since then, YES has empowered 5,570 low-income individuals, ages 16-24, to complete their education, secure jobs and strengthen work skills.
YES does this through job coaching and career counseling and offering financial support for child care, transportation and additional training.
“These grants will enable EmployIndy to help expand and enhance the efforts of youth-serving organizations to improve significantly the employment prospects of youth in our community – especially those most in need of job skills and resources,” says EmployIndy President & CEO Angela Car Klitzsch. “We are particularly grateful for Lilly Endowment’s support of our strategic efforts to help young people living in the city’s highest-need neighborhoods.”
Youth employment has immediate benefits that include skill building, career exploration, and a paycheck. But it also can significantly affect the long-term career success of a worker. A report from the New Skills at Work initiative of JP Morgan Chase found that teen employment can lead to improved earnings once young people launch their careers in their 20s.
However, not enough youth and young adults are employed. A 12-year longitudinal study by the Brookings Institution released in 2014 looked at youth employment rates in the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Researchers found that among youth ages 16-19 in Indianapolis, labor participation fell from 49% to 28%, The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that national teen employment has declined with every recession since 1979, and projects further decline through 2024. These data raise concern for the future prospects of Indianapolis youth and the economic vitality and quality of life in central Indiana.
EmployIndy’s holistic approach to helping unemployed youth find jobs includes engagement with community organizations that serve youth and young adults and with employers. EmployIndy strives to connect job-ready applicants with employers in their neighborhoods and help employers who are looking citywide to find strong job applicants.
“The future prospects for thousands of youth in our community depend on their ability to find and qualify for jobs that will pay them a livable wage and place them on a promising employment pathway for the future,” says N. Clay Robbins, Lilly Endowment’s chairman, president and CEO. “We are pleased to provide this funding for EmployIndy’s strategic efforts to build an effective and comprehensive system of supports to help these youth succeed.”
INDIANAPOLIS – For the third year, Mayor Joe Hogsett is working with EmployIndy, the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, and the Marion County Coalition on Youth to connect thousands of young adults to job opportunities in 2018. At a press event held at the Avondale Meadows YMCA, Mayor Hogsett and the Indy Chamber encouraged employers to engage with the program and announced a new employability skills system designed to get 16-24 year-olds job ready.
Project Indy is a smart way to give thousands of local young people job experience, useful skills, and safe and productive alternative to crime and gangs. Mayor Hogsett’s summer jobs program comes at no additional cost to taxpayers, funded through federal grants, corporate donations, and community organizations.
To ensure that young adults are ready for job opportunities, EmployIndy and the Indy Chamber have partnered to create the Job Ready Indy program. Beginning in March, local youth can enroll in Job Ready Indy workshops with various partner organizations around the city and earn up to six badges, each focused on various skill sets that will set them up for success in a job and appear on their Project Indy profiles.
“Project Indy aims to uplift our entire community, and to do so, we must involve the entire community,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it will take a city to develop our workforce. With an emphasis on work experience and skill development, young adults, community leaders, and employers can all play a part in this effort — and the first step is as simple as signing up!”
While Project Indy works to connect high school youth with summer job opportunities, the program also encourages mentorship and career training opportunities as well as jobs for participants out of school seeking the first step in their career path. With the added skills and training now available through Job Ready Indy, Project Indy will enable local young people to build the foundation for a successful career in the Indianapolis workforce.
“We look at the job continuum as A-B-C: Any job, Better job, Career,” said Angela Carr Klitzsch, president and CEO of EmployIndy. “A young person’s first experience in the workforce allows for career exploration, skill building, and self-awareness that can help guide them throughout their professional life.”
Project Indy is uniquely positioned to connect the supply of jobs with local young talent as employers are thinking about their needs for this summer and beyond. Local youth can be a solution for many of these employers seeking talent, and with the added employability skills offered through the Job Ready Indy courses, workers accessible through Project Indy will be better prepared to take on jobs that require a variety of responsibilities. Employers who participate in Project Indy also have the exclusive opportunity to kick start career paths and develop our city’s future workforce to fit their industry’s needs.
“Some employers express concern about the basic skills of entry-level workers,” said Michael Huber, President and CEO of the Indy Chamber. “This badging system will not only afford peace of mind for an employer, but build a strong foundation of talent for Indianapolis as we focus our efforts on inclusive growth to meet local labor needs.”
Each Sunday in February, Mayor Hogsett will be engaging local churches and faith-based organizations to encourage young people and employers to take advantage of all that Project Indy has to offer. Attendees of Congressman André Carson’s Your Opportunities Job Fair in March can stop by the Project Indy booth to learn more about the program.
Young job-seekers and employers can learn more and sign up at projectindy.net.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – January 24, 2018 – Since 2011, EmployIndy has been demonstrating a commitment to community workforce development by distributing over $3 million on behalf of the City of Indianapolis’ Department of Metropolitan Development to local community-based organizations through CDBG. This funding has resulted in neighborhood-level employment services for over 6,000 residents. Recently, EmployIndy awarded an additional $500,000 to five local, community-focused organizations: Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center; RecycleForce; Fathers and Families; Second Helpings; and Indianapolis Urban League.
EmployIndy is committed to partnering with organizations who are engaged in barrier-busting, workforce development activities, and working to support, improve, and coordinate effective neighborhood-level employment and training programs. The Community Development Block Grant is competitively awarded to an organization because of their active demonstration to connect underrepresented residents to jobs and career pathways leading to self-sufficiency and family sustaining wages, thus improving the area in which they reside.
Because of their focus on local community growth, Mary Rigg received grant funding to further neighborhood-based services to specifically target individuals who are underemployed; unemployed; do not have an HSE degree; ex-offenders; and/or single parents.
“The goal of EmployIndy is to enhance and strengthen, rather than replace, the services offered within neighborhoods,” says EmployIndy’s Senior Director of Development, Chelsea Meldrum.
In order to alleviate major employment barriers, such as criminal backgrounds, transportation, and low education, EmployIndy works closely with community- and neighborhood-based organizations who are uniquely positioned to offer a variety of services that bring workers into the mainstream economy. The funds distributed to RecycleForce will focus on creating successful transitional employment for re-entry citizens through increasing availability of educational services, job skills training, career exploration, and supportive services.
Another focus of CDBG is career navigation services. These services use the ABC model (Any job, Better job, Career) to help those who are either unemployed or underemployed to find their next step – whether that is forwarding their career, changing their field, or furthering their education. Second Helpings and Fathers and Families Center are using their grant money to further training programs and arm graduates with success through obtaining credentials and preparing for job readiness.
EmployIndy places a high significance on the quality and impact of services to the participants being reached. The CDBG funding EmployIndy has distributed over the past seven years has led to occupational skills training and credentials that directly result in residents finding employment. The award given to Indianapolis Urban League will help grow that number through serving low-income and returning citizens by granting them with career training and services to become self-sufficient.
By seeking to help individuals who are experiencing significant barriers to employment, EmployIndy is working with those in the community to ensure residents have access to a variety of services to obtain the skills needed to enter into jobs and, ultimately, careers.
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – January 18, 2017 – Amid the final round of worker dislocations at Carrier, EmployIndy and United Steelworkers Local 1999 are encouraging displaced workers to enroll in Trade Adjustment Act (TAA) benefits with local WorkOne staff.
When large layoffs occur, efforts are made to provide support to affected workers to immediately impact their next steps. EmployIndy has coordinated job fairs and staffed WorkOne case managers inside facilities to be available to help workers. WorkOne staff have been providing career coaching, connecting individuals to training, and identifying how their existing skills can be best utilized for a career shift.
WorkOne staff also registers displaced workers for funding such as Mayor Hogsett’s $1000 Carrier Worker Grant, which offers assistance to reimburse costs incurred while looking for new employment. This includes expenses such as transportation, childcare, utilities, and rent/mortgage payments. EmployIndy representatives register workers to receive TAA benefits for training and help local employers navigate the hiring incentives offered via Next Level Jobs and other City of Indianapolis funds.
EmployIndy is eager to guide these workers – and all Marion County residents – toward career success in an evolving local economy. The organization’s leadership refers to the strategy as “building a workforce ecosystem” in which numerous community organizations, supportive service providers, employers, and educators are aligned in workforce development efforts.
“We strive to connect people to opportunities to gain the skills needed for modern jobs, and then also work to connect employers to the people who obtain those skills,” says Marie Mackintosh, Chief Operations Officer of EmployIndy.
Resources are available for all Indy residents who have been laid off, are underemployed, or are in need of job skills – but for those who are eligible for TAA benefits, such as displaced Carrier and Rexnord workers, there are deadlines for certain funding based on the date their dislocation occurred.
Dislocated workers can attend a special enrollment session for TAA benefits taking place at WorkOne Indy West, at 3400 Lafayette Road, this coming Saturday January 20th, from 10:00am until 1:00pm. They can also access services during normal WorkOne business hours.
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The following press release was originally created by the Office of Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett.
INDIANAPOLIS – Today, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced the appointment of Camille Blunt as the Director of the Office of Minority & Women Business Development.
As Director, Camille will guide the office’s mission to promote a culture of inclusiveness in business opportunities and economic growth, and further the sustainability of business enterprises owned by minorities, women, veterans, and people living with disabilities. This will include cross-collaboration between city departments and community groups, working to improve relationships with businesses through outreach and certification, and serving as an advocate for the office and those it represents.
“Camille’s ability to foster engagement through dialogue perfectly positions her to support and uplift local businesses of all backgrounds,” said Mayor Hogsett. “Under her direction, the Office of Minority & Women Business Development will further a culture of inclusiveness in our business community, building a stronger and more diverse local economy. I am confident that our community will continue to benefit from Camille’s expertise and passion for service in this new role.”
Before her appointment to the Office of Minority & Women Business Development, Camille served as the Legislative Director for the City of Indianapolis, a role she began in January 2016. In this role, Camille was liaison to the City-County Council and oversaw the execution of the City’s legislative strategy on the state and federal level. During her tenure as Legislative Director, the administration garnered bipartisan support on most legislative agenda items, including passing the 2018 Budget with a vote of 21-2.
Prior to serving the City, Camille was vice president with Bose Public Affairs Group. Camille met the needs of the firm’s clients through grassroots lobbying, political action committee management, state and local legislative lobbying, and relationship development. In addition to serving on a number of boards throughout the Indianapolis community, she is a member of the Ball State Alumni Association and the Governmental Affairs Society of Indiana.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – EmployIndy was awarded the Community Crime Prevention Phase II grant from the Indianapolis Foundation, a Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) affiliate. The purpose of this grant is to provide intentional and immediate programming focused on community safety and preventing crimes committed by youth and young adults.
One of EmployIndy’s strategic goals focuses on impacting young adults in Marion County, funding initiatives through city partners and provide programming to serve at least 50% of the 30,000 opportunity youth population within the next five years. To assist in implementing this strategic plan, EmployIndy received another grant from the Indianapolis Foundation on August 11, 2017.
Since receiving the Community Crime Prevention Phase II grant, EmployIndy has been spearheading an E^7 Essentials Model in partnership with several community and neighborhood organizations on the Far Eastside.
This location for the initial re-engagement center was chosen because it is both in one of EmployIndy’s strategic target impact areas and it is deemed an Indianapolis “hot spot” by Mayor Joe Hogsett. A “hot spot” is defined as a Marion County area experiencing the most poverty and unemployment attributed to crime.
The E^7 Essentials Model is designed to engage opportunity youth, ages 16-24, in target neighborhoods by co-locating participant services and activities that support seven essential employment elements: Exposure, Empowerment, Engagement, Exploration, Experience, Education, Employment. The elements develop work, life, and leadership skills that ultimately empower meaningful pathways to jobs and position a young person for workforce success.
The establishment of the E^7 Essentials Model is different from the opportunity youth programs EmployIndy is currently funding because it will replicate a neighborhood or community center-based access point for re-engagement services with a focus directed specifically towards disconnected youth and young adults.
Rodney Francis, EmployIndy Senior Director of Opportunity Youth Services, describes EmployIndy’s drive by stating that “our strategy will be to catalyze re-engagement centers in a way that holistically integrates best practices and promising approaches for serving youth and young adults who are disconnected from either education or employment due to significant barriers precluding labor force participation.”
EmployIndy’s goal is to reduce barriers for youth so they may enter the workforce as they reach adulthood, feeling both empowered and aware of the career pathways and opportunities available in order to reach their dreams.
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EmployIndy has collaborated with Ivy Tech to place a WorkOne Indy staff member on-site at the Ivy Tech location at Meridian St. and Fall Creek Pkwy, with the intent of being in a convenient location to deliver career services for clients who are already in the building. The staff member will be working alongside Ivy Tech’s internal Early Resources Connections Center.
“We are looking forward to having a stronger WorkOne presence at Ivy Tech’s Downtown Indianapolis campus. Our students will benefit from having greater access to these valuable employment resources,” said Dr. Kathleen Lee, chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis. “This partnership showcases the mutual commitment of Ivy Tech and EmployIndy to provide high quality educational and employment opportunities for central Indiana residents.”
EmployIndy will track the amount of services provided on-site, and may expand the initiative as Ivy Tech students leverage it as a resource.
“This is part of a larger initiative on behalf of EmployIndy to ensure that career development services – including WorkOne Indy services – are accessible and convenient for job seekers,” said Marie Mackintosh, Chief Operations Officer at EmployIndy. “We continue to seek creative ways to partner with organizations around the Marion County to ensure that we can effectively support as many residents as possible.”
The American Staffing Association yesterday afternoon honored Nicole Bieker, CSP, vice president of operations at Milliner & Associates in Indianapolis, as its 2017 Volunteer of the Year. Bieker was honored during the opening general session of Staffing World® 2017, the association’s annual convention and expo, in Chicago.
Bieker has volunteered with ASA since 2014, when she first got involved with the ASA- affiliated chapter in Indiana. Today, she is chairman of the ASA Indiana regional council and of the ASA corporate social responsibility committee. She is also a member of the ASA staffing as a career committee.
In addition, Bieker is heavily involved in Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG)—an ASA philanthropic partner. JAG works with underserved students, providing job readiness coaching, internships, and mentoring to prepare them for the future. Milliner & Associates works with Indy JAG students at Decatur Central High School. Employees serve as mock interviewers and classroom guest speakers, and host numerous professional development activities during the school year. Bieker has become a JAG champion by collaborating with JAG National to assist ASA member firms from across the U.S., as well as other high schools locally around Indy, in creating partnerships with the organization in their geographic areas.
“Nicole’s service to JAG in Marion County has not only impacted Decatur Central participants directly, but she has given employer partners an example to mirror for JAG programs at other high schools,” says Beth Bowling, Youth Initiatives Manager at EmployIndy.
Bieker also gives back to a variety of Indianapolis-based organizations by serving as a member of the Butler University Career Services Advisory Board, EmployIndy Youth Committee, Indiana INTERNnet Employer Advisory Board, and the Indy Chamber— serving as president-elect of the Indy Chamber ambassadors.
“Nicole Bieker really raises the bar when it comes to giving back and supporting people, organizations, and worthwhile causes, and is extremely deserving to be recognized as the 2017 ASA Volunteer of the Year,” said Richard Wahlquist, ASA president and chief executive officer. “ASA thanks Nicole for her leadership, dedication, and valuable input, which have helped advance the association and the entire staffing, recruiting and workforce solutions industry.”
“To receive this award from my peers and from an organization that I am truly proud to represent means more to me than anyone will ever know and is beyond anything I could have ever imagined for myself and my career,” Bieker said. “To be recognized for work that is my heart’s true passion in an industry that has provided me with so many amazing opportunities to give back to my profession and community is an absolute honor and privilege.”
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About the American Staffing Association
The American Staffing Association is the voice of the U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry. ASA and its state affiliates advance the interests of the industry across all sectors through advocacy, research, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices. For more information about ASA, visit americanstaffing.net.
Association partnering on new efforts to address direct care worker shortage in skilled nursing care and assisted living.
EmployIndy is proud to partner with the Indiana Health Care Association/Indiana Center for Assisted Living (IHCA/INCAL) to establish a registered apprenticeship program to be implemented in skilled nursing and assisted living centers across Marion County. The program, funded by a grant through the U.S. Department of Labor, creates a pathway for employers to design an apprenticeship specific to their staffing needs that combines on-the-job learning with technical education.
National and Indiana-specific data paint an alarming picture of a declining workforce supply and a steadily increasing demand for long term care services. According to the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), one in every five Hoosiers will be an older adult by 2020. A recent survey by healthcare providers in Central Indiana listed Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), and Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) as the hardest positions to fill.
Apprenticeships have been common in industries such as construction and other trades for decades. The growth and demand from healthcare employers has resulted in obtaining and retaining skilled workers as a key workforce development effort around Marion County. According to ApprenticeshipUSA, there is a 91 percent retention rate for apprentices completing programs.
Apprentices are guided through the program by an experienced mentor and receive progressive wage increases. “Apprenticeships offer an opportunity for young people to work, learn, and connect with others who have seen success in a field of work,” says Angela Carr Klitzsch, EmployIndy President & CEO. “This shows the apprentice a path for career progress and professional development.” EmployIndy is working with these healthcare providers to assist them in leveraging financial reimbursements for wages and training costs associated with hiring individuals into a registered apprenticeship program.
“We are very excited to be working with EmployIndy to roll out this new registered apprenticeship program to our members,” said Zach Cattell, IHCA/INCAL President. “As we strive to identify new ways to help our members navigate the looming workforce crisis, we need to look at methods that have proven successful for other industries.”
Operators of three facilities in and around Marion County have already committed to establishing apprenticeship programs in those centers, and several others have expressed interest in the apprenticeship model. The goal is to get new CNAs certified who can eventually skill up to become Qualified Medication Aides (QMAs) and even work further to become an RN.
“It’s a very proactive approach that I think will be helpful,” said Shannon Ammerman, the administrator at Traditions of Solana, “The apprentices will hit the ground running and have a point person that can help them and us work through any challenges that arise.” The assisted living community on the northside of Indianapolis is preparing to launch an apprenticeship program for certified nurse aides (CNAs) and dietary aides in early 2018.
IHCA/INCAL is also launching a new online CNA Training Program with education development partner, Academic Platforms. By offering an online option as an alternative to the traditional classroom component of the CNA certification, care centers that already provide the hands-on education onsite will be able to train their own nursing assistants from start to finish.
These two new workforce efforts are part of a larger initiative that the association began in 2016 with the creation of carefortheaging.org, the first website to offer comprehensive information on skilled nursing and assisted living careers in Indiana. Carefortheaging.org provides information on a range of careers available at skilled nursing and assisted living facilities throughout Indiana, including education requirements, salaries and paths for career advancement. The site also links individuals seeking educational opportunities, internships or job placements with facilities looking to fill those roles.
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About IHCA/INCAL
IHCA/INCAL is the state’s largest trade association and advocacy group representing for-profit and not-for- profit nursing homes, as well as assisted living communities and Independent Living. The association provides education, information, and advocacy for health care providers, consumers, and the workforce on behalf of its more than 350 member facilities.
About EmployIndy
EmployIndy guides the local workforce ecosystem and makes strategic investments to remove barriers to quality employment for underserved and underrepresented residents. As the workforce development board for Marion County, guided by 21 business, civic, education, and non-profit community leaders, EmployIndy invests $19 million in public, private and philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually.
INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Eric J. Holcomb today announced that Fred Payne will be Indiana’s next commissioner at the Department of Workforce Development (DWD). Payne is currently the chief administrator for Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC (HMIN) with extensive professional expertise in employment and labor law.
“Fred is the right pick to take our state’s workforce development agency to the next level—at a time when building and securing talent has never been more critical to our state’s enduring economic success,” Gov. Holcomb said. “His corporate experience at Honda has given him a clear perspective of employer workforce demands. Further, he has experience driving change and eliciting results in a large organization, which will be a big advantage working with an agency the size and scope of the DWD.”
As chief administrator for HMIN, Payne has led the company’s business division, overseeing corporate affairs, information services and administrative functions—along with serving as company secretary and compliance officer. Payne joined HMIN in 2008 as an attorney focusing on employment and labor issues and in 2011 became general counsel, secretary, and corporate affairs and administration manager. Prior to working for HMIN, Payne was managing attorney for the Indiana office of Wessels and Pautsch, P.C.
“I am up to the challenge of leading a department that plays a vital role in our state’s future success,” said Payne. “I look forward to working with Gov. Holcomb and Secretary Milo to continue to build upon our workforce system to better meet the needs of Indiana employers and job seekers by helping match qualified Hoosiers with the high-demand jobs available today.”
Payne is admitted to the 7th and 9th Circuits of the U.S. Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Courts for northern and southern districts of Indiana, northern and central districts of Illinois, and the western district of Wisconsin. Payne is a graduate of Maurer School of Law at Indiana University Bloomington and holds a master’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa and bachelor’s degree from Grambling State University.
Payne admitted to practice in the state of Indiana and before several Federal Courts. He served as a board member to the Indiana Pro Bono Commission and currently serves as a board member for the Indiana Manufacturers Association, Honda Federal Credit Union, the Indy Eleven Soccer Foundation and the Indianapolis Urban League. He and his wife, Kelly, live in Indianapolis.
Payne’s first day with DWD will be Dec. 12.
INDIANAPOLIS – Following bipartisan approval of initial program funding by the City-County Council last night, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced the appointment of Matt Impink as the executive director of the Indy Achieves initiative.
As executive director, Matt will guide Indy Achieves’ mission to improve access and completion of high quality degrees and credentials for Marion County students. This will entail offering aid to students through existing scholarships, marshaling private and philanthropic resources to provide wraparound services for residents pursuing a post-secondary degree, as well as monitoring Indianapolis’ workforce needs to ensure the model remains effective.
Lilly Endowment Inc. has approved $5.2 million in grants to EmployIndy to strengthen the services it offers to local organizations that help youth and young adults connect to education support, training, and job coaching.
INDIANAPOLIS – For the third year, Mayor Joe Hogsett is working with EmployIndy, the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, and the Marion County Coalition on Youth to connect thousands of young adults to job opportunities in 2018. At a press event held at the Avondale Meadows YMCA, Mayor Hogsett and the Indy Chamber encouraged employers to engage with the program and announced a new employability skills system designed to get 16-24 year-olds job ready.
INDIANAPOLIS – Today, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced the appointment of Camille Blunt as the Director of the Office of Minority & Women Business Development.