The National Bank of Indianapolis is the largest, locally owned, national bank in greater Indianapolis. Since opening their doors in 1993, they have grown from 18 employees to more than 300 employees. Members of the bank’s Human Resources team initially reached out to WorkOne and EmployIndy in the spring of 2015 as part of their efforts to broaden the diversity of their applicant pool.
“Our strength and success in serving the local market is directly attributed to our talented staff.”
-The National Bank of Indianapolis
With over 90% retention each year, NBI is in a unique position; they rarely need external assistance with their staffing efforts. However, in the summer of 2015 they found themselves with a number of openings for the teller position. EmployIndy recruiters worked to source strong candidates who would be well aligned with the organization, fulfilling the high expectations the company required. Recruiters completed phone screens and forwarded the strongest candidates to the bank’s staffing officer. During a three-month period, the bank extended offers to four of the 15 individuals who were recommended by EmployIndy – more than a 25% yield.
Since this success, the bank has continued to share all of their job postings with EmployIndy and has hired two more referrals in the past year. We are proud to partner with companies like The National Bank of Indianapolis to grow their talent pipeline as well as positively impact the Indianapolis workforce.
Updated May 30, 2018
In 2012, Deandre Lander was a senior in high school who was invested in taking next steps in his career as he participated in Indianapolis’ J. Everett Light Career Center, where he earned his welding certification. However, for personal reasons, he did not end up graduating from high school. This certification got him a job, but because of his authority issues, it only lasted for six months. After that, Deandre worked in food retail until Fall of 2015, when he was arrested for being a part the wrong crowd.
As a first-time offender, he was given the opportunity to be released on work release after two years. This is when he came into contact with James Conway, a case manager for Keys to Work. When the two met, James immediately saw potential in the young man and enrolled him in WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), a bill designed to help job seekers gain employment, education, training, and services to succeed in the workforce. Because of Deandre’s age, he also qualified to be part of YES (Youth Employment Services) programs, which work with young adults to prepare them for the workforce and help them discover their next steps.
This next step brought Deandre to RecycleForce, a 501(c)3 offering “innovative recycling services all while providing life-changing workforce training to formerly incarcerated individuals.” While he was there, Deandre impressed his managers immensely and they offered him an associate position that provided him with resources to expand his skillset. He gained warehouse experience and earned his forklift license, a valuable, high-demand certification. But his employability skills growth did not stop there.
Deandre knew that he could continue to get certifications but having a high school diploma is something that would really make him stand out to employers. That is why when he re-entered the workforce in Fall of 2017, he got involved with Warren Township. Through the Walker Career Center, Deandre was able to earn his HSE (High School Equivalency) degree in October of 2017 and continue to further his career. At this point, his employability toolbox had a forklift license, warehouse experience, and a HSE. But he is a motivated young man and wasn’t going to stop there when he had so much more potential.
Since then, he has gone through OSHA and machine guard training and is currently working on getting his driver’s license and CLA (Certified Logistics Associates) degree. “I have the motivation to get jobs and now I have my credentials so when I apply for a specific job, it’s nice to be able to show that certificate,” says Deandre when asked why he has continued to grow his resume. One of the main reasons behind this motivation is Deandre’s young son, who lives with him. He wants to be someone his son can both look up to and be proud of.
“What I got in trouble for was no where near like how I was raised but then I came to Keys to Work and things started changing for me. Changing for the better.”
-Deandre
Because of his drive, success, and dreams to excel, Deandre has been featured in a series of employability skills videos by Ascend Indiana and in a news segment by Fox 59. “I want to work and stay at a place for a long period of time,” says Deandre,” I want to find something I enjoy and make a career out of it.”
Most recently, Deandre is working for the Indianapolis Dept. of Public Works (DPW) doing landscaping at city parks.
Jailah with DWD Commissioner Payne, and Governor Holcomb
Every year, only twenty young adults graduating nationally from the JAG program are selected to be Smith Scholars, a $1000 renewing scholarship award given to a student who exemplifies leadership and service. The recipient is able to use this award toward paying for college. This year, one of the twenty students selected is from Marion County.
Jailah is the President of the North Central JAG Career Association and she has come a long way to get to where she is now. Born in Gary, Indiana, she began her life in an area prone to crime and poverty. Because her father was in the Navy, shortly after she was born, her family moved to Virginia Beach and lived there until she started fifth grade at Washington Township in Indianapolis, where she had the opportunity to meet a whole new community. “I feel like moving when I was very young helped me to be able to talk and connect to everybody,” says Jailah, reflecting on her early years.
Jailah was first introduced to JAG as a freshman in high school – her brother had gone through the two-year program and was a graduating senior. When she entered her junior year and was able to enroll, she embraced the program, diving in and competing for the first time at the Career Development Conference in the writing competition. After winning first at Regionals, Jailah went onto state and didn’t place. She was devastated. “It was at that moment when I remember having the thought, ‘I don’t think she had ever had an experience that she felt like she didn’t achieve what she wanted to,’” says Jessica Kleffman, Jailah’s JAG Specialist.
Jailah always says, “I don’t look at challenges as obstacles, I look at them as hurdles.” She came back and won Outstanding Senior and then placed in State the following year. Because of her nomination as Outstanding Senior, Jailah was automatically put in the running to be one of the 2018 Smith Scholars and her stellar resume and essays did the rest.
“I don’t look at challenges as obstacles, I look at them as hurdles.”
-Jailah
Right now, Jailah is enlisted into the United States Navy and will be attending classes at Ball State right after she completes basic training. Her dream is that she will be a nurse in the military, double majoring in nursing and athletic training. “I like to have options and diversity when it comes to work and never want my days to be the same,” says Jailah.
Josephine and Keysha
From the Far Eastside of Indianapolis, Keysha experienced criticisms and negativity in her teen years that lead to a wayward career path in her early twenties. After working some warehouse jobs and finishing high school, she decided that she wanted to put her mind to obtaining an office job – but a couple different training and certification courses fell through. The troubles that affect so many job seekers caught up to her – bills, childcare, and transportation left her feeling stuck in a place where she could not take the leap forward in her career that she needed.
Keysha initially came to Martindale Brightwood CDC via the IMPACT program – a state program “designed to help recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) achieve economic self-sufficiency.” MBCDC began in 1992 by residents hoping to stabilize their neighborhood and have a positive impact on their community. With services including homeowner repair, foreclosure counseling, small business development assistance, and neighborhood beautification, the organization aims to support residents at their most important place: home. Adding workforce development into its offerings, MBCDC has worked with EmployIndy for years by offering Youth Employment Services (YES), as well as job readiness training and GED referrals.
After initially skilling-up via IMPACT training, staff at MBCDC took notice as Keysha searched for a job. Her technology skills and general ability to stay organized lead Executive Director Josephine Rogers-Smith to simply say “We need to keep her!” MBCDC brought Keysha on for an administrative role, with YES benefits helping ease the burden of the aforementioned bills, childcare, and utilities.
“People like me just need a little push; we need a mentor.”
Keysha
Keysha found a mentor through YES. She credits Julie Barrett, MBCDC’s YES coordinator with the guidance, reassurance, and positivity she needed to stay on a career path that is improving both herself and her family. “I realized that I just needed to deflect criticism, or people telling me that ‘I can’t,’ and focus on becoming an exception,” Keysha says. She now helps MBCDC handle phone calls, follow-ups, intake applications for homeowner repair programs, and other administrative documentation. It is impressive even for Keysha, who adds shyly “You never know what you’re capable of if you don’t try.”
Meanwhile Josephine remains pleased with both Keysha’s performance and her progress. What she seems to appreciate the most is that Keysha is willing to listen and cares about other people – which, paired with some basic technology skills, can go a long way for a community organization. As MBCDC currently works through a strategic planning process, she is excited to see how they can continue to work with EmployIndy and YES to get to the root of people’s needs. “Different things work for different people,” Josephine says. “People here pick each other up to try to really connect with someone.”
Jason Leslie works full-time at Nelbud, a company that specializes in kitchen exhaust hood cleaning, fire protection and suppression systems, and grease trap services. Like many people, he went a roundabout way to obtaining his steady job.
Over the past 20 years, Jason had been in and out of prison on three separate occasions. During his final stay, he made a promise to himself that it would be his last time – a promise that started by making some serious lifestyle changes. While he was incarcerated, he enrolled in a year-long drug-free program, worked at a paint shop, and became a Kairos prison ministry member. Once Jason was out on probation, he knew it was crucial for him to find a job immediately. That was when he walked into a WorkOne office and was quickly connected with career navigator Anne Knapke.
Anne had worked with many people whose stories weren’t too different from Jason’s, so she had a game plan once they sat down and evaluated his job skills. For the next two weeks, Jason went in every day to work with Anne. She helped him create a resume and discover resources, such as utilizing local food banks. Once his resume was finalized, Anne connected him to Tammy Green, a recruiter at EmployIndy.
Tammy likes to refer to herself as “a professional matchmaker,” and for Jason, she did just that. He expressed an interest in heating and cooling and was offered an interview at Team 360 (now Nelbud), where he was told that he was a perfect fit and was hired on the spot! Within a week, Jason started his new position where he excelled immediately.
After working at Nelbud for only three and a half months, Jason has been promoted and is in training for a leadership position. “I was hesitant at first,” he says. “I have never been a leader. I was always a follower, which lead to my criminal past. But now I have a chance to be better, and I’m going to take it.” Little did he know, he had been a leader all along.
“Everyone at WorkOne showed me a lot of love and care and motivated me to keep going in the direction that I’m going. I give a lot of thanks to Anne and WorkOne for what they have done for me.”
Jason Leslie
After Jason was hired at Nelbud, his 21 year-old son saw a major change in his father: his dreams, his goals, and his attitude. His son witnessed a 180 and couldn’t help but be impacted by what he saw and realized he had to make some changes of his own, learning from his father’s mistakes. Jason introduced him to Nelbud and he was hired on. Since then, his son has been drug-free and has been recognized company-wide for living out the organization’s core values and mission. “Now I get to sit back and watch him succeed. Nothing is better than that,” says Jason, reflecting on how his son has grown.
Jason’s lifestyle changes and career aspirations aren’t stopping here. He is currently enrolled in a math course through WorkOne. Once he completes that, he is going to pursue his dream of owning or managing a HVAC company, starting by getting his HVAC certification. In the future, Jason plans to finish his associates degree (something he began prior to his last incarceration) in Business Management at Harrison College. Outside of furthering his education and growing his career, Jason is attending meetings and staying drug free, in the process of buying a house, enjoying life, and continuing to volunteer with Kairos Prison Ministry and mentor others. “I just hope one day I’ll be able to inspire others to do good and stay out of trouble. I’m a good story that if you do the right things, good things can happen. Many people think you have to do criminal things to get what you want, but that just isn’t true.”
The tech industry is thriving in Indianapolis. Because of this, many companies are seeking qualified software engineers and oftentimes these individuals are drawn toward larger, well-known businesses, often causing smaller tech companies to struggle recruiting talent.
Greenlight Guru is an Indianapolis-based software company that houses the only Quality Management Software designed specifically for the medical device industry. Because of their creativity and innovation, Greenlight Guru was finding success and looking to grow – starting with their software engineering team. Initially, they searched for candidates through professional recruiters and from local coding schools. They were introduced to several individuals but lost out to larger organizations that were also competing for qualified candidates. The need to grow their team was immediate because their smaller size reduced the rate that Greenlight Guru was able to provide valuable software to manufacturers, ultimately impeding their mission: to bring a higher quality of life by changing the way people make medical devices.
This mission is the backbone of the organization. “We love hiring ‘willing to change their life’ employees. This starts with investing in those with non-traditional tech backgrounds – different types of intelligence and experiences will trigger different things,” says Greenlight Guru Co-Founder and CTO, David Odmark. This vision for the future of their company is one of the many reasons Greenlight Guru was attracted to EmployIndy’s Employ Up program. Employ Up assists individuals who are unemployed or underemployed to take a path to a meaningful career by offering free skills training, job search support and access to the many high-tech companies looking for talent.
“Not only do we wholeheartedly support your mission, we were surprised and delighted at how easy it is to work with EmployIndy. When people say they’re going to do something, they do it right away. This was a welcomed surprise from other organizations we’ve worked with.”
– David Odmark, Co-Founder and CTO
This program has opened doors for Greenlight Guru to bring on candidates as apprentices. The brilliant part about that? This non-traditional way of developing talent is attractive because they are able to mold individuals to not only learn the critical skills needed to excel in the medical device industry, but also to “have folks who are truly Greenlight Guru teammates and have mentors equipping them with skills needed to succeed,” exclaims Chuck Dishmon, Project Manager for Greenlight Guru. Hiring apprentices through Employ Up creates opportunities for their company to hire those with unique talents to excel in both the tech industry and at their company.
EmployIndy has provided Greenlight Guru with the talent resources and support that to grow their software team by 25%. This growth has ultimately propelled their team and makes it possible for them to deliver critical post-market functionality to customers. The partnership between Greenlight Guru and EmployIndy has allowed them to provide stable careers in technology for new employees, strengthen the community, and support medical device companies.
UPDATE: Since this post in February of 2018, Greenlight Guru has flourished! Check out the launch of their new software and the impact it is having on their growing company.
Today hundreds of Marion County high school students met at University of Indianapolis to engage with each other in competitions surrounding employability, skill development, and career goals. All students are part of the Jobs for America’s Graduates, better known as the JAG program, which has a presence in twelve high schools throughout the county.
Students started the day with an open forum to network with one another and the judges, which consisted of volunteers from organizations like the US Army, PNC Bank, AT&T, and Congressman Andre Carson’s office. Comments during the event included Deputy Mayor Dr. David Hampton, EmployIndy CEO Angela Carr Klitzsch, and motivational speaker, Eric Jones Jr.
More importantly, the main focus of the event was on twelve different competitions that allowed students to demonstrate the skills they have learned throughout their work in the JAG program. Competitions ranged from public speaking to entrepreneurial concepts to writing – there was even an early competition to design the cover of the program for the event. During the awards, students were recognized for their achievements, and winners will go on to compete in the state JAG competitions, representing their school.
“JAG is a remarkable program because of its ability to show students how to make the most of their talent, effort, and education,” said Angela Carr Klitzsch. “We are proud of the achievements of these young adults and excited knowing that they have what it takes to be successful in their path after high school.”
The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program is a federal entitlement program that assists U.S. workers who have lost or may lose their jobs as a result of foreign trade. This program seeks to provide adversely affected workers with opportunities to obtain the skills, credentials, resources, and support necessary to become reemployed.
Marion county has experienced dislocations recently in which workers qualify for TAA benefits, which are managed through WorkOne Indy American Job Centers. Below are two testimonials from local residents who have applied for and received benefits.
I started working with the TAA program right after I found out I was losing my job. I decided that I wanted to pursue my MBA and receive training assistance from the TAA program. I worked with Maritha and have not been disappointed. She has taken great care of me and answered all of my questions! The whole TAA process was very long and time consuming, but Maritha made the whole transition very smooth and made sure I knew what I needed to be accepted into the program. I was accepted into the program to have my tuition and books completely paid for by the TAA program! The documentation portion of the program takes a lot of time, but the benefits are so much greater! I can’t wait to continue to work with Maritha and the rest of the TAA team throughout my training.
Kelsey Cohen
Kelsey Cohen now works for CALUMET GP, LLC as an Human Resources Generalist earning $60,000.00, she will begin training in February 2018 pursuing her MBA at Kelly School of Business.
My name is Michael Brooks I have had a very good experience working with the TAA team on my TAA/RTAA. Devon Banks has worked extremely hard with me on my resume my and interviewing skills. It has truly been my pleasure to have worked with her. She is the reason I was able to get my job with Lilly and I am really grateful for her help. I started my employment on November 27, 2017 and my rate of pay is $22.60 an hour.
Thank you for all you do!
Michael Brooks
EmployIndy’s own Charlie Harris exemplifies the importance of our workforce development efforts here in Marion County. Charlie is a recruiter in EmployIndy’s Business Partnerships department, and he takes pride in the importance of his work and his ability to help provide direction for people who need it. His own path benefitted from such support years ago.
In 2002, when Charlie had been laid off and took a retail job with Burlington Coat Factory, he felt underemployed but did not know where to turn. He heard a radio ad for the local community organization Fathers & Families Center, and decided to go in to see what they could offer.
After an intake interview, he returned for an orientation and five-week job readiness training. When a data entry position opened at Fathers & Families Center a few months later, he applied and was hired. Charlie credits the interview prep skills for their impact on his professional development, helping him refine his resume, in-person interview skills, and professional appearance.
Next, Charlie applied for Pell Grants to pay for school at IUPUI, working to earn his bachelor’s degree. While working full-time, attending evening classes, and being a father to his children, Charlie realized that Pell Grants alone would not cover his expenses as he tried to advance his career. Fortunately, he qualified for enrollment for YES (Youth Employment Services) funds to help offset costs for tuition, books, and childcare expenses. This added support ensured that Charlie would not be delayed in his progress, and he was able to graduate in 2011 with a degree and expanded employment opportunities.
He has developed a passion for workforce development, staying in the field since that first interaction. In Charlie’s words, “Being able to give back and share my experience with the knowledge to know how to help someone – it feels good to help people with the same help I received.”
As an employee at Fathers & Families Center, he worked his way from data entry, to registrar, to eventually becoming a career counselor and employment specialist before joining EmployIndy in 2017. Charlie believes that “community based organizations offer more than services, they offer a place for people to develop trusting relationships to help provide direction and shape their life.” He views his work today with EmployIndy as a means of extending and empowering the abilities of CBOs to impact individuals, and continues to find it to be a rewarding career.
Anne Knapke is a Talent Development Specialist and Career Advisor at WorkOne Indy East where she works with a individuals to help them through their job search and/or education process. Having as many as 62 clients at one time, she is dedicated to helping others take the next step in their career. Anne had only been working for a few days when she first met Melynda.
Melynda was a transfer case and was working on obtaining her TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) when they met. She had already taken an equivalency test and did not pass. After this setback, Melynda lost hope in herself and had a lot of anxiety, thinking she would never reach her dreams. Anne believes that “many times, it’s fear that holds people back. We have to help people believe in themselves and give them the tools and encourage and uplift.” This is the heart behind many of the WorkOne career advisors as they work with clients to pursue their dreams and take steps in their journey.
At the time, Melynda was working as a home health aide and was very passionate in pursuing a career as a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant). The perfectionist side of Melynda pressed on, determined to create a better future for herself. Through an additional 70 hours of courses and training, she received her HSED (High School Equivalency Diploma) with flying colors. After this, Anne was able to further assist her in receiving CNA Training through WorkINdiana. The WorkINdiana program provides over thirty certificate training opportunities while also earning an HSE or improving skills in an Adult Education classroom.
They continued to meet to format Melynda’s resume to help her stand out in her job search so she could start her career as a CNA. “She is the only client I have given my cell phone number to,” says Anne, emphasizing both the depth of their relationship. After finalizing her resume and becoming certified, Melynda began to reach out to employers and had several interviews within a week.
After her interviews, she was offered a variety of positions and chose to work at Wellbrooke of Westfield: The Center for Health & Wellness. She started on October 17, 2017, and is learning more and more every day. In Melynda’s words, “This experience has been one of the best experiences in my life with something to show for my efforts. They all saw something I couldn’t see in myself.” She is passionate about the work she is doing with the older population and openly thanks Anne for being “an amazing counselor, mentor, and leader who helped me set and obtain my goals.” Anne and Melynda still keep in touch and meet regularly.
Christian’s Story
Christian was enjoying her time as a pharmacy technician but wanted to pursue a medical profession where she had the opportunity to interact one-on-one with patients. Because of this, she always dreamed of becoming a registered nurse (RN) and was approaching a point in her life where she was ready to start taking steps to reach her goal. However, before any growth could occur, it was necessary for Christian to further her education, gain patient exposure, and go through the job search process.
First, she tried applying for positions where she could connect with patients and simply gain exposure within a hospital to improve her resume. However, without connections, education, or a background filled with patient experience, she was not able to obtain further employment.
“The Employ Up coaches checked in with me. I had a good support system and knew I could count on their support throughout my job search.”
Through a stroke of luck, Christian was connected with EmployIndy and introduced to Employ Up, a service center dedicated to helping job seekers reach the next step in their career. With their help, she created and improved her LinkedIn profile, updated her resume, and received both professional and emotional support.
After these skills were attained, the next step was furthering her education, and with the financial help of Employ Up, she was able to obtain funds for nursing school and improve her resume through connections established by EmployIndy by obtaining a hospital support staff position. Today, Christian has earned a BSN/RN and is furthering her career as a surgical ICU nurse.
Sharpen was looking to hire hardworking, skillful, and qualified employees. Although they had many applicants, as a small business, they didn’t want to take risks with anyone who did not have the experience they requested. Initially, Emily Wolfington, Director of HR at Sharpen, reached out to Eleven Fifty in hopes of finding the talent they needed to confidently secure positions within their company. Unfortunately, the candidates they interviewed did not have the skills they desired.
While Emily was searching for future employees, she was connected with Brent Shopp. Brent was the Director of Career Services for Eleven Fifty and recommended Emily reach out to EmployIndy for business assistance with hiring qualified candidates. After researching EmployIndy, Emily said, “It was too good to be true,” and then she connected with the Business Partnerships team.IN EMILY’S WORDS
IN EMILY’S WORDS:
“I had a chance to meet with an EmployIndy recruiter and knew this would definitely be an initiative that would add tremendous value to us as the employer, and to potential employees.”
Through the Business Partnerships team, Emily was shocked at the simplicity of the process and the flexibility of the recruiters. Shortly after she reached out, she was connected with qualified applicants who met Sharpen’s talent requirements.
Since the meeting with EmployIndy, Sharpen has hired one person and has several currently going through the hiring process. They have also become more open to candidates whom they may not have initially considered because of the success they have seen through utilizing the EmployIndy program.
The National Bank of Indianapolis is the largest, locally owned, national bank in greater Indianapolis. Since opening their doors in 1993, they have grown from 18 employees to more than 300 employees. Members of the bank’s Human Resources team initially reached out to WorkOne and EmployIndy in the spring of 2015 as part of their efforts to broaden the diversity of their applicant pool.
Jason Leslie works full-time at 
EmployIndy’s own Charlie Harris exemplifies the importance of our workforce development efforts here in Marion County. Charlie is a recruiter in EmployIndy’s 
Christian was enjoying her time as a pharmacy technician but wanted to pursue a medical profession where she had the opportunity to interact one-on-one with patients. Because of this, she always dreamed of becoming a registered nurse (RN) and was approaching a point in her life where she was ready to start taking steps to reach her goal. However, before any growth could occur, it was necessary for Christian to further her education, gain patient exposure, and go through the job search process.
Sharpen was looking to hire hardworking, skillful, and qualified employees. Although they had many applicants, as a small business, they didn’t want to take risks with anyone who did not have the experience they requested. Initially, Emily Wolfington, Director of HR at Sharpen, reached out to Eleven Fifty in hopes of finding the talent they needed to confidently secure positions within their company. Unfortunately, the candidates they interviewed did not have the skills they desired.