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LaKeshia Hardy was raised in a single-parent home and became a mother just after graduating high school. She was on welfare in her younger years, but even in hard times strived to stay positive – she knew that she wanted more for herself and her family. She began to look for steady work and LaKeshia filled out a simple application on one sheet of paper and landed a job on the assembly line at Carrier. Over the years, she realized she wanted to be challenged in a role she could achieve if she gained experience beyond her high school education.

Initially, this job changed her world. LaKeshia was able to finally get ahead. She started working overtime to pay off bills, earned seniority to take better shifts, and reached a point where she was saving money. She and her husband worked different shifts to accommodate their children, and life was good – busy and stressful, but good.

Suddenly, after 13 years, Carrier announced they were moving hundreds of positions to Mexico. LaKeshia had built a life around a job that was going away and now had the opportunity to make this change she had been imagining. As a Carrier worker, she had a limited skill set and she knew with further training and education she would be able to achieve whatever goals she set her mind to – and inspire her children to dream big along the way.

“I had been making money – it was a job – but it never felt like a career,” says LaKeshia. “Going back to school, that felt like a path to a career.”

Interested in learning about a new career options, she took full advantage of meeting with a WorkOne Indy career navigator. LaKeshia was informed about different manufacturing training and certification opportunities, detailed in materials created by CAEL specifically for Carrier workers. But she decided to go down a different path and make choices that would directly impact the future of her career.

As she decided to utilize this opportunity to make a transformative change, her career navigator did a thorough analysis of her skills and interests, urging LaKeshia to hone in on a career that she would love. Because of her own life experience, the idea of helping troubled high-schoolers overcome barriers, struggles, and emotional difficulties was a passion she wanted to pursue. Then, identifying social work as a correlating field of study, she was connected to Ivy Tech and enrolled in an associate’s degree in human services.

Working towards her goal, LaKeshia is set to graduate in May 2019 with intent to receive her bachelor’s in social work from IUPUI. She is involved with her department’s charitable student group, maintaining a 4.0 GPA, made the Dean’s List, and is eager to be the first in her family to earn a degree. “The services available have not failed me, and what you put in is what you will get out of it,” she says. “I can’t wait to walk across that stage.”

Emauri’a Davis transferred between several high schools before enrolling at Arsenal Tech in November 2017, about halfway through her senior year. With this transition, her lack of stability was taking a toll on her self-confidence.

“Before I started Tech I was going through a lot,” said Emauri’a. “I went to North Atlanta before that, [then] I went to Franklin Township. Tech was a different environment for me. I really just stayed to myself, went to class, and went home.”

When Emauri’a enrolled at Arsenal Tech, her guidance counselor placed her into their Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) program where she facilitated relationships with her specialist and other JAG staff which made it possible for Emauri’a to connect with Stop the Violence Indianapolis, Inc. (STVI) where she started as an intern in November of 2018.

“When I entered JAG, they taught me a lot of things that my old schools weren’t teaching me: they taught me how to do resumes, and cover letters, and thank you letters,” said Emauri’a. “JAG really opened up my mind more… personally, it gave me more confidence and patience.”

Emauri’a at her desk at STVI

Since she started her internship at Stop the Violence, Emauri’a has already gained valuable professional experience – she has attended two conferences, organized data from surveys for reports, coordinated volunteer email communications, and learned to edit their website using WordPress. In addition, STVI staff are working with Emauri’a to add these experiences to her resume and provide constructive feedback to help her grow.

“Without JAG and EmployIndy, we wouldn’t be able to do as much as we’ve done,” says Beatrice Beverly, Stop the Violence Indianapolis Program and Volunteer Director. As a small nonprofit with limited funding, STVI relies on JAG’s work experience funding to provide an immersive learning environment to Emauri’a and three other interns. By investing in skill-building experiences for young adults, EmployIndy is cultivating positive career trajectories for these young adults and setting the table for stronger workforce in Marion County.

The state of Indiana allocates funds annually to EmployIndy for programs like JAG, but donations make it possible for JAG to grow and for more students like Emauri’a to participate. It takes $2900 to sponsor a work experience and improve the future career of a young adult so they can have a positive impact right here in Indy.

“Honestly I don’t have a ‘dream job,’” says Emauri’a with a confident smile. “I know that I will become a criminal justice lawyer, and I will also own a cupcake shop.”

Jeffery Ezell, who completed the first cohort of the Pivot Power Huddle, an intensive mind-setting course, initially walked through the doors of the Finish Line Boys and Girls Club ready to play basketball, content with a high school diploma and working minimum wage. When he graduated from high school in May of 2018, his only motivation to get a job was to help support his mother and sisters.

“I hadn’t been thinking long-term,” said Jeffery. “I just looked at my life and I didn’t even think I needed to take next steps. I just thought ‘well I have my high school diploma, I made it.’”

Jeffery at the Power Huddle Ceremony. From left to right:
Erik Davenport (Pivot Manager), Tim Swain (Power Huddle Trainer), Jeffery Ezell, Rodney Francis (EmployIndy Senior Director of Opportunity Youth)

When Jeffery was young, his father passed away and he took over the role as “man of the house.” This involved helping raise his younger sisters, working to help pay the bills, and occasionally staying home to take care of things around the house while his mother went to work. Growing up in a single parent household, Jeffery was predicted to do poor in school, be less likely to graduate, and have limited social mobility. Establishing relationships with Erik Davenport, Pivot Re-Engagement Center Manager, and Jamarro Johnson, CAFE Youth Employment Specialist, gave Jeffery the courage to move beyond his community- and self-set expectations and join the Power Huddle course.

When asked how the Power Huddle impacted his life, Jeffery could not choose just one thing – he mentioned the importance of soft skills and learning about steps taken to get a job, but then passionately described his greatest takeaway: that “some things in life you just can’t control.” Gaining this knowledge was the turning point for Jeffery – he obtained a renewed awareness of his barriers and made the conscious decision that they wouldn’t stop him from reaching his full potential.

Since completing the Power Huddle, Jeffery has further engaged with Jamarro at CAFE and is in the process of enrolling in YES Indy services and establishing an “Individual Service Strategy.” He plans to explore his dream of becoming a police officer who manages a K9 unit.

Jeffery (left) with Jamarro, his CAFE career navigator

“I met with Jeffery a couple times before he started the Power Huddle and he rarely followed through on what he said he would do,” said Jamarro, Jeffery’s career navigator. “It is amazing to see how much he has grown mentally to see where he is now at a point that he is ready to take on life and start accomplishing his goals.”

There are many young adults throughout Indianapolis who just need a little push to not only just show up, but to believe in themselves and strive to meet and exceed their full potential. Between administrative costs, materials, and time invested, it takes $1500 to process one young adult through the Pivot Re-Engagement Center and the Power Huddle. This amount has the potential to change lives and EmployIndy’s current funding can only go so far to support individuals like Jeffery­­­. Please consider partnering with us as we work with other community organizations to serve all Marion County residents.

The Indiana Construction Roundtable Foundation (ICRF) is aware of the impending workforce shortage within the industry and is working with EmployIndy to solve it. ICRF recently partnered with the John H. Boner Community Center to offer a BY Training Class to bolster the construction workforce through free training, culminating with a hiring event attended by businesses that EmployIndy brought to fill their in-demand positions.

ICRF President Chris Price describes BY as “a six-week training program that aims to help people by teaching them the basic skills needed to succeed in the construction industry,” such as using hand tools and power tools, basic safety, construction math, introduction to blueprints, basic rigging, and various soft skills. The course helps job-seekers not only enter the construction industry, but advance to the journeyman-level much quicker than usual. Upon completing the class, participants obtain their NCCER and OSHA10 certifications and CCS cards.

According to ICRF, “the construction industry is uniquely positioned to connect with people of all backgrounds and to provide people living in poverty with a pathway to the middle class.” High paying construction jobs generally have few barriers to entry, which is important for residents in EmployIndy’s strategic target impact areas. The BY training focused on incorporating formerly convicted felons, women, and minorities into the construction workforce, a form of inclusive growth championed by EmployIndy that helps both residents and employers simultaneously.

“I see this as a great entry into the industry” says Janice Bernard, who learned about BY through her WorkOne Indy career navigator. “I hope to position myself for a long-term career in project management or risk management and compliance.”

Other community-based organizations are talking about BY’s success, and Southeast Community Services is already making plans to replicate the training program at their location. Tracy Hartman, an Employer Engagement Manager at EmployIndy, emphasizes the importance of the wrap-around services community centers provide to help potential participants overcome initial barriers many may struggle with. “Not only can community centers host the class,” she says, “but by teaching employability skills and offering barrier-busting funds, they set the class participants up to succeed in their new career.”

For programs like this, EmployIndy serves as an intermediary by helping to broker the relationship between employers, ICRF, and the Boner Center. Tracy Hartman promoted the BY program early on to her contacts at various businesses who became involved by presenting at the class and/or interviewing individuals at the hiring day. She also promoted the events that ICRF hosted leading up to the first day of class and she connected businesses including:

In order to bring the BY class to the attention of potential participants, EmployIndy shared information with frontline career services workers around Indy and on social media. BY flyers were also directly shared by WorkOne career navigators, promoted at various job fairs and rapid response events, and it was heavily encouraged to organizations working with the re-entry population. The effectiveness of this influence became clear after hearing from participants on hiring day, as all were able to reflect back on learning about the program from a wide array of players in Marion County’s Workforce Ecosystem.

The course had interesting ways of vetting participants for employers. On the first day of class, every participant signed an accountability contract stating that they would always be early for class, remain drug free, and participate actively. Each individual received an accountability score that started at 100 and lost points if they had an unexcused absence or were tardy, as communication was stressed to better simulate a work environment. A list of all participants and their accountability scores were shared with employers at the hiring day.

By the end of the hiring day, every participant received at least one job offer with a starting hourly wage of $17 or more.

For participants like Robert Dowdy, the impact excites him for his future. “For the past 5 years I have been working in retail, and it took that long to work my way up to $19.25 an hour,” he says. “but after this class, I received a job offer starting at $20 an hour, only to go up from there.”

EmployIndy will share information about the next class when the 2019 application goes live – so be sure to follow on social media and sign up for our newsletter. The course is being planned for a February start. Employers interested in teaming up with the BY Training Class by presenting at the class and/or interviewing participants for job openings should connect with Tracy Hartman, EmployIndy’s Employer Engagement Manager focused on the construction industry.

WorkOne Indy staff gathered today to reflect on a year of service to Marion County residents, taking time that is normally used for enrichment and teamwork to for a celebration that was both enriching and unifying.

Staff members voted for their peers in four categories to recognize achievement in categories that identified excellence in behind-the-scenes support, positive attitude, professional growth, and overall excellence. Winners were recognized with their nominations read aloud for the group for traits like customer service with complex clients, problem-solving through tricky situations, and their willingness to support colleagues with new ideas and friendly support.

Tori Robinson, a RES Operations Supervisor and winner of the “Brightest Star” award, spoke of one of her clients who was struggling – going through ABE classes to brush up on skills while also dealing with an abusive relationship.  “Every time she came in I encouraged her to continue to apply to jobs, and keep faith,” Tori said. “Weeks later, instead of her coming in with the frown, she came into the office with a big smile just to say that she now found her dream job!”

Tori cited compassion – especially for difficult clients who find success – as a key motivator that drives staff when working daily to help people with their career.

“These sort of events are not just about recognizing hard work – they bring staff together in a way that builds chemistry and understanding so that our staff identify as a team with a common goal.”

Penny Dunning, EmployIndy’s Director of Career Services

As EmployIndy has guided WorkOne Indy to lean into a service model that stresses consistency, staff are encouraged to learn from each other and identify best practices for career navigation of clients. This concept is expanding beyond the walls of the WorkOne Indy offices and into numerous organizations around Indianapolis as EmployIndy continues to build relationships with community partners to regularly house WorkOne Indy staff in places like libraries, Ivy Tech, and adult education providers.

With EmployIndy acting as the central guide and intermediary of Indy’s entire workforce ecosystem, this idea of sharing and recognizing efforts goes beyond WorkOne Indy. Best practices are being identified between service providers, programs, and community partners across the ecosystem – and EmployIndy has developed Ecosystem Enrichment meetings and the Employing Indy newsletter to share these valuable ideas.

But today it was about WorkOne Indy staff like Tori, who earned her award for her willingness to try new ideas and encourage coworkers to innovate. “We all work hard,” she said, “and knowing that we are consciously identifying and learning from each other’s accomplishments is important to help us feel like a cohesive unit.”

Check out photos from the event below, and let EmployIndy know about your workforce development success story so we can feature it.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – November 20, 2018 – Today nine young adults completed a training program that gives them the power and the tools to change their lives. The Pivot Re-Engagement Center, a partnership between EmployIndy, Finish Line Boys and Girls Club, and Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE), celebrated their first cohort of the “Power Huddle,” a mindset and employability skills course that prepares individuals for their next step in establishing their career.

Located at the Finish Line Boys & Girls Club on North Post Road, the Pivot Re-Engagement Center is one of many ways that EmployIndy has focused efforts on the Far Eastside, a target area of their strategic plan where unemployment and poverty remain higher than the rest of Marion County. EmployIndy launched the Pivot Re-Engagement Center with a goal of registering 100 young adults in 2018. Since the soft launch in May 2018, 740 individuals have signed up. Not only does this signify that there is a need for a safe space, but there is also a desire in these young adults to grow.

“They go through [the Power Huddle] not knowing it is a huge stepping stone for them,” said Jamarro Johnson, YES Youth Employment Specialist at CAFE. “When we meet and I address the steps to make this possible, they realize that their dreams aren’t as far off as they once imagined.”

The first Power Huddle cohort

This is why the Power Huddle is a crucial first step to finding sustainable employment, discovering their passions, or engaging in post-secondary training and education. Once through the Power Huddle, CAFE is engaging participants by providing assistance in adult basic education enrollment and guiding young adults into their career through a variety of career exploration and service elements. For Pivot participants, these opportunities provide a gateway for each individual to pursue his/her dreams.

“It’s all about transformation for us,” said Rodney Francis, EmployIndy Senior Director of Opportunity Youth Initiatives. “If they are self-motivated and learn to establish a vision and goals for themselves, then they have a better chance at success.”

The participants come from a variety of backgrounds, but all share the same dream of creating a bright future for themselves. Daysha, 22, is a Power Huddle graduate who started her education at Indiana University in 2014, but then had to drop out for financial and transportation reasons. She decided to move back to Indianapolis and enroll at IUPUI. A little over a year ago, Daysha resigned from IUPUI for similar reasons but also had a realization: “Not only could I not pay for my own wifi, I realized I didn’t know what I wanted to do or where to apply myself.”

Jayden, another participant, is 17 and graduating early from Lawrence North High School. He finished all of his classes this past summer, and this fall he has been working at McDonald’s while waiting to walk at his high school graduation in December. Jayden has always wanted to become a carpenter but not looked into local training opportunities, so he was not sure how he could reach this next step.

“When [Pivot instructors] were talking, they were all saying things I needed to hear to build my own self-confidence,” said Jayden. “Instead of always underestimating myself, I had a real potential to go and achieve my goals. It helped me to see myself from a different perspective and know that I am capable of doing what I dream.”

This sentiment was the resounding echo from the students. The Pivot Power Huddle opened their eyes to see where their passions align with their skills and current workforce needs in high-demand industries.

Since completing the Power Huddle, Daysha has decided to not only re-enroll at IUPUI and get her bachelor’s degree in Communications, but she wants to apply for the Peace Corps by next year so she can work overseas with youth. In addition, Jayden has looked into the best carpentry courses and wants to start his own business once he has achieved his certification and established a solid amount of reliable clientele.

“I think this program truly has the potential to impact young lives on the eastside,” said Erik Davenport, the Pivot Re-Engagement Center Director. “Even in the past two weeks, I have noticed such a change in their mindsets. You can really see the turning point when they believe their dreams are reachable.”

EmployIndy’s goal is that all young adults will understand their potential to excel personally and professionally. With an estimated 30,000 young adults in Marion County who need to reconnect to postsecondary education and better careers, the stakes are high. However, EmployIndy believes that progress has to happen at an individual and granular level, and these nine individuals have begun the journey to improving their lives by learning more about themselves, their passions, and their potential for success.

“I want to recognize all of the Pivot employees: They do such a good job making sure everyone has the resources they need, and you can genuinely tell that they care about you. I know that they don’t have to do what they do and we all really appreciate it,” said Daysha.

The second Power Huddle cohort will last one week and begin on December 3rd. Info sessions will take place November 27th – 30th daily at 11:30am at the  Finish Line Boys & Girls Club. Plans are in the works to offer employer tours and invite businesses to come and inform potential participants about their organizational and hiring needs.

For more information about the Pivot Re-Engagement Center or the Power Huddle program, please contact Rodney Francis: [email protected]

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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 $20 million in public, private, and philanthropic funds for both youth and adults annually.

About Boys and Girls Club of Indianapolis
Since 1893, Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis have served the Indianapolis community. With five facility-based Clubs and five school-based sites, BGCI serves nearly 7,000 youth annually in the areas of career exploration and educational enhancement, citizenship and leadership, the arts, and health and fitness. For additional information, please call (317) 920-4700 or visit www.BGCINDY.org. Follow Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis @BGCINDY and “Like” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/bgcindy.

About Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE)
CAFE’s mission is to offer direct aid to residents of the Far Eastside who are in desperate need. CAFE offers programming that supports youth and seniors alike, all with a continued focus on improving the quality of life for those who live, work and worship in the Far Eastside community. One of CAFE’s leading programs is their Center for Working Families, which helps transition families from living paycheck to paycheck to investing in their future – not only getting a job, but a career; not only meeting expenses, but saving for their first home.

Pivot, Power Huddle, and EmployIndy staff

Cohort 1 with shoes provided by Finish Line

Cohort 1 finding out about Kanye shoes from Finish Line

Ashayla Spearman

Cameron Kimmons

Daysha Beck

Dezmond Johnson

Jayden Dixon

Jeffery Ezel

Richard Berry

Tamia McNary

EmployIndy partners with Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) on several of workforce-ready initiatives. This partnership aims to break down barriers and make it possible for all individuals to receive adult basic education and actively enroll in a variety of training programs in order to further their skill set. Five years ago, the state General Assembly unanimously passed a bill to shift adult education to DWD, a move aimed to address both the recession and the looming talent gap that Indiana was facing.

At the Indiana Statehouse today WorkINdiana celebrated 6,000 completions and 5,000 certifications in five years.

Speaking at the event was EmployIndy COO Marie Mackintosh, Associate COO of Adult Education with the Department of Workforce Development Marilyn Pitzulo, and Ivy Tech’s Madison Campus Chancellor Molly Dodge. They provided background on WorkINdiana and the dynamic shift to focusing on industry-recognized credentials so adult education could be seen as a stepping stone toward a career.

“Our vision was to serve students at any time, any place, at any pace.”

Marie Mackintosh, EmployIndy Chief Operations Officer

Then they passed the mic to three WorkINdiana participants: Brittany Young, Paul Powell, and Sarah White. These individuals shared their personal journeys and talked about where they are now because of the opportunities gained through WorkINdiana.

WorkINdiana is just one of many ways that EmployIndy is working to skill-up Marion County’s workforce. Recently, EmployIndy was awarded $125,000 of Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding from DWD in order to remove barriers for employers, service providers, and job seekers alike. This funding will give service providers the tools they need to knowledgeably serve the adult population and provide opportunities for them to skill-up into the jobs within Indianapolis’ high-demand industries, providing a workforce-ready population for the future of Marion County and local employers.

 

Destanie at her childcare job, reading to her young son.

In June of 2018, Destanie was involved in a serious car accident and lost everything due to hospital bills and her lack of income during this period. With a young child, no employment, lack of stable housing, and virtually no support system, Destanie thought she had hit rock-bottom. One day when she was leaving her apartment she met Dian Krueger, a CAFE career and employment coach who was doing community outreach outside of her building. CAFE specifically offers barrier-buster support for individuals who need help reaching their next step, whether that means financing childcare and housing, connecting unemployed residents to job training or counseling, or preventing other barriers to success.

Shortly after meeting Dian and being introduced to CAFE’s education and employment services, Destanie was enrolled in YES Indy, EmployIndy’s Youth Employment System, where she was able to receive assistance and coaching so she could obtain a full-time job. YES Indy providers open doors for opportunity youth, focusing on those located in EmployIndy’s target impact areas, so they can receive barrier-buster support through both career and education guidance.

Not long after joining YES Indy, Destanie was employed at the childcare center where her child was enrolled as part of the Great Families 2020 program. Great Families 2020 is a two-generational approach for quality childcare on the Far Eastside while partnering individuals with a case manager and financial and family supports coaches.

Currently, in addition to being employed at the childcare center, Destanie is enrolled as a part-time student at Ivy Tech Community College where she is pursuing her Associates Degree in Physical Therapy, furthering her previously earned CNA Certification. This opens doors for her to pursue other careers in the healthcare industry and allows her to stand apart from her peers as she moves from a job, to a better job, to a career.

Through partnering with organizations like CAFE, EmployIndy is able to further the workforce and increase economic development in Indianapolis. With EmployIndy’s YES Indy Barrier Busting support, Destanie secured housing. These barrier-buster funds provided a security deposit for her housing, connected her to a paying job, and assisted with childcare. EmployIndy’s support of these programs makes it possible for many individuals just like Destanie to take steps to further their education and career by easing life’s financial burdens.

In its pilot year, Job Ready Indy (JRI) has shown to be a flexible resource to many Marion County organizations seeking to provide soft skills training. In fact, in the ten months since its announcement, twenty-two organizations have become certified JRI providers with nearly ninety fully certified trainers. Even though providers are all targeting 16-24-year-olds, their approaches to implementing the JRI curriculum differ with their organizational structure. One such organization is Indianapolis Lighthouse Charter – South (ILCS), located near Southeastern Ave. and Emerson Ave.

An early adopter of the JRI curriculum, ILCS incorporated it into their Lighthouse Internships and Field Experiences (LIFE). LIFE seeks to help scholars become confident in their post-secondary pursuits by providing hands-on experience in high school. ILCS proudly partners with over thirty-five Indianapolis businesses to ensure that twice a month, every eleventh and twelfth grade student attends an off campus internship experience. Most employer partners host multiple scholars and several are hosting for their second year. For the handful of partner employers who are not able to host LIFE scholars, they help prepare sophomores by highlighting upcoming LIFE experiences in speaking opportunities. At graduation a LIFE scholar will have accumulated nearly 300 hours of authentic work experience at area businesses.  The businesses provide a wide range of experiences such as: child care, music, activism, health sciences, military, education, cosmetology, veterinary sciences, and non-profit development.

This model aligns with EmployIndy’s E^7 concepts for preparing young adults for the workforce: expose, empower, explore, engage, educate, experience, and employ. As area businesses to expose young adults to their industry and provide experience through internships, they are positioning themselves to have a pipeline of talent to employ in the future.

Now in its second year, ILCS’ LIFE program currently has a total of 100 scholars (forty-nine seniors, fifty-one juniors) learning employability skills and exploring possible career fields here in Indy. ILCS’ LIFE scholars engage in Job Ready Indy curriculum to further develop their understanding of self and how they can best function in a professional work environment. ILCS wove the curriculum into their school culture displaying the badges earned by each junior and senior in the hallways, encouraging younger grades about future opportunities. To date, seniors have had the opportunity to earn the Self-Management, Social Skills and Workplace Skills badges. Juniors, just starting out in the program, completed the Self-Management badge in September. In order to earn the badge, scholars must complete each unit in full, pass a quiz and demonstrate mastery in an advisor administered “badge in practice” test. This process allows the scholar to demonstrate both their knowledge and ability to implement each skill.

Click to see overview of the Job Ready Indy curriculum.

Job Ready Indy, a collaboration with the Mayor Hogsett’s Office and the Indy Chamber, is designed to be flexible and adaptable to existing programs. With badges covering six different sections of competencies, providers can choose to offer one, six, or some combination of badges using their own approved curriculum, free curriculum from EmployIndy, or a mix. By incorporating Job Ready Indy into their existing program, ILCS has provided greater impact for their participants and helped them experience the real-life application of important job skills.

In the words of one ILCS scholar, “I really like the curriculum because I feel like it is easy to understand and applies to my internship placement. I really like discussing each of the skills with my classmates and teachers and I feel like it really prepared me for my internship better than last year, because I actually know what my mentor expects of me as an intern.  I was surprised by how much I liked the curriculum, but also how challenging it was. There are a lot of terms and habits of being a good employee that I thought I knew, but didn’t until I was taught. I get excited about earning my badges because I know that when I’m done, employers will be able to see it online and I know that I’ll be a better intern and can possibly get a job offer after high school.”

Interested in learning more about job ready indy? Contact us!

WorkOne Indy is more than two brick and mortar locations on either side of town. It is made up of the combined efforts of staff, partnerships, referrals, employer partners, and more. As EmployIndy has sought to find more ways for career services to be available in strategic locations that most need support, partnership with Ivy Tech has proven to be successful in connecting job seekers to local employers.

“We have career coaches who do great work with finding jobs and resume development,” says Bradley Pearson, Director of the Early Resource Connections Center (ERCC) at Ivy Tech. “WorkOne has been helpful with more detailed services like understanding transferable skills, beginning a job search from scratch, and providing connections to other WorkOne resources.”

WorkOne Indy career navigator Danielle Sims shares space with finance coaches and others who provide support services at the main Ivy Tech Fall Creek Parkway campus at the ERCC. She compares it to the type of holistic support and structure that one would find at a Center for Working Families rather than what is typically found within a traditional college career services office because “if someone needs a job, they need to have those basic needs met first.”

photo of Danielle Sims

Danielle Sims, WorkOne Indy Career Navigator

Though she says her most common type of support is helping people maneuver through the job search process, Sims also is quick to say that she never sees the same situation twice. Generally, though, there is a pretty even split between people who are seeking help with a career upon matriculation versus those needing a job “right now” while enrolled school. Her services often include resume and application help, sharing opportunities like hiring events and job fairs, and connecting clients to community resources.

Ivy Tech students are not the only people who make use of this resource. With the main campus positioned squarely in the 46208 zip code, this access point also serves as a location that people in the nearby neighborhoods of this target impact area can utilize.

“It is a different demographic than those at the main WorkOne offices – we are definitely reaching people who we otherwise might not be able to support.”

Danielle Sims, WorkOne Career Navigator

With the school year about to start, WorkOne Indy is ramping up on-site hours to 20 per week to be well-positioned for the activity that comes with a new fall semester.

Ivy Tech has done some outreach to ensure that students know WorkOne Indy is offering an on-site resource, and Pearson is quick to say that he believes WorkOne Indy’s presence has enhanced the ERCC’s growth in intake numbers, “becoming more a part of the vernacular for students, faculty, and staff.” Danielle Sims has personally taken that effort a step further.

“Now that I have been co-located here for a while, I have had an opportunity to learn how things work at Ivy Tech and network with others on campus,” she says. One example of this is working with academic advisors to help connect students to Indiana Career Explorer to help students more clearly understand how their strengths and interests can lead to a meaningful career.

Danielle Sims is excited to see WorkOne Indy grow in this area, and she believes this model could work with other locations around Indy. “As more people understand why I am here, I expect to see more referrals come my way.”

During the school year, WorkOne Indy can be accessed on the fourth floor of theIvy Tech North Meridian Center in room 414 from 8:00am – 4:30pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and from 10:00am – 2:00pm on Thursdays.

After more than three decades of operation, the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) program has proven to be one of the most successful state-level strategies for tackling high school dropout rates, low academic performance, youth unemployment, and other barriers for at-risk youth. Program participants actively engage in career exploration, leadership, and goal setting as they plan for their future and transition into post-secondary education, military service, and/or employment. In Marion County, EmployIndy administers JAG for IPS and other local high schools.

The JAG 5 of 5 Award is the “gold standard” for JAG programs throughout the nation. To earn it, the local program must have at least a 90% graduation rate; 80% positive outcome rate; 60% job placement rate; 60% full-time job rate; and an 80% full-time placement rate. In Marion County, 95% of JAG students graduated from high school for the 2017-2018 school year.

In July, both the state and Marion County were given the JAG 5 of 5 Award for the fourth consecutive year. Additionally, six JAG Specialists received the award, two of which were also recognized on a national level as Outstanding Specialists. Although these awards are coveted, it is not the plaque that drives the specialists to success – it is the lives they impact each and every day.

JAG Specialists gather with award at the national JAG conference

Nearly all the students who enter the JAG program have barriers to overcome and need an extra push to establish a vision for a successful future. In Marion County, only 80% of public school students graduate high school to move onto further education or join the workforce. This dream pushed DaWit, a senior at George Washington High School, to join JAG because of his desire to gain necessary and valuable skills for his future, as well as have the opportunity for career exploration.

DaWit’s JAG Specialist, Charmaine Wardell, saw his motivation and helped him chase his dreams. “She’s the good type of nosy,” DaWit says of Charmaine. “She picks up on what you want to do and why – then she helps you get there.” Charmaine learned that he always hoped to be a public servant, which is when Captain Kevin Givens of the Indianapolis Fire Department entered the picture. When Captain Givens came to speak to the JAG participants this spring, Charmaine encouraged DaWit to network with him and ask about an opportunity to intern at his fire station.

DaWit (back row, center) with crew at Station 31

This connection led to DaWit’s seven-month internship at Station 31. His internship confirmed that becoming a firefighter was what he wants to do with his future. “These people are family,” he said. “They talk openly with one another and are always there for each other and that’s what I want.” DaWit learned that there is some required education to be a successful firefighter, starting with becoming a paramedic and earning his Fire Science degree. In the fall of 2018, he will be taking these steps by attending Indiana State University, making him the first person in his family to attend college.  DaWit is also interested in studying Unmanned Systems and Aeronautical Engineering. DaWit’s dream is to work at the Indianapolis Fire Department while also starting his own business of fixing planes and test flying them.

To guide more young adults like DaWit, JAG will be adding four programs for the 2018-2019 school year, for a total of 18 programs in 14 schools throughout the Indianapolis area. “We’ve had a lot of excitement over the JAG program in the past few years,” says Erika Cheney, EmployIndy’s Director of In-School Youth. “Whenever we are in the media, we always have individuals reaching out to us asking more about the program and how we can expand into their schools.” In the 2018-2019 school year, JAG will be expanding into Warren Central High School, Southport High School, Shortridge High School, and Crispus Attucks High School. JAG is instrumental in providing  schools the extra support needed to help improve student’s academic and future career success.

Aside from growing JAG in Marion County, EmployIndy has been partnering with IPS to encourage work-readiness preparation and career exploration. In June of 2017, EmployIndy and IPS were awarded a grant from EWIN (Education Workforce Innovation Network) and CELL/UIndy (Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning at the University of Indianapolis). With these funds, EmployIndy and IPS studied other work-based learning continuums taking place throughout the United States. Representatives from each organization researched and visited Academies of Nashville, P-TECH in New York, and Denver Public Schools CareerConnect.

The knowledge gained from these visits led to the establishment of the Health Sciences Academy launched at Crispus Attucks for the 2017-2018 school year. EmployIndy had staff members on various committees focused on employer engagement, work-readiness, and college and career prep. Throughout the year, St. Vincent, Senior1Care, and Trilogy Health Services were the top health industry employers involved. These employers, along with EmployIndy staff, participated in mock interviews during the student’s College and Career Prep class.

To further improve career readiness and exploration, EmployIndy hosted Opportunity Days at each of the WorkOne Indy locations in February of 2018. The Opportunity Days consisted of 160 students attending employability skills and financial literacy workshops. These student field trips were found to be so successful and informational that they will continue to take place throughout the 2018-2019 school year.

Partnering with organizations throughout Marion County, EmployIndy is working to grow the future of the workforce by providing various funding strategies, techniques, and implementing a strategic plan focused on supplying young adults with opportunities for work-readiness and preparation for a future of sustainable employment in good and promising jobs.

After a year of hard work and preparation for life after high school, seniors who are enrolled in the Jobs for America’s Graduates program were able to gather for a senior send-off celebration. During an afternoon at Ivy Tech, students and their JAG specialists from each school enjoyed  of conversation, pizza, and a scavenger hunt.

The students also were able to participate in a series of raffle drawings to win prizes for their next journey, including dormitory essentials like shower caddies and towels, reading lamps and hangers, polaroid cameras, and even a mini-fridge.

The highlight of the event was the announcement of the recipient of the Jessica Brown Memorial Scholarship. Through generous contributions since our dear colleague’s passing, we have been able to endow a scholarship in her name, awarding $1000 annually to a JAG senior who exemplifies Jessica’s spirit through dedication, hard work, a passion for community service, a genuine interest in the lives of their peers, and random acts of kindness. (Donations are still being accepted to continue to build the scholarship for future years.)

This year’s winner is Tyrah Matherly of Decatur Central High School. “Tyrah sought out JAG on her own, coming to me personally asking to be part of the class,” says her JAG Specialist Molly Hansen, who nominated Tyrah. “I had students who were friends with Tyrah who were struggling. Tyrah helped get them to school to personally ensure that they graduate – but she never seeks to be boastful or get acknowledgement for her kindness ‘behind the scenes’… She just says she’s doing her part.” Tyrah has been enrolled in advanced classes this year to get a head start at IUPUI where she plans to dental hygeine this fall.

As part of JAG, graduates are supported for one additional year after high school. This follow-up year ensures that students continue to receive the counseling, skills development, and career services needed to be positioned for a lifetime of career prosperity. Check out some more photos from the event below, and congratulations to all of our JAG graduates!