EmployIndy today announced it has been awarded a $1.5 million grant by the Pathways Impact Fund, a national initiative of StriveTogether, to expand access to the most in-demand career and learning experiences for Central Indiana’s high school students.

“EmployIndy has supported the development of strong pathways programs and deep career-connected learning partnerships in Marion County over the past eight years,” said Ken Clark, president and CEO of EmployIndy. “With Indiana’s new diploma requirements and readiness seals, every district now needs the infrastructure, employer connections, and advising capacity to ensure students can graduate with a clear plan. This investment allows us to expand what’s already working, scaling high-quality advising, career-connected learning, and accelerated coursework to reach thousands more students across Central Indiana. It’s about strengthening and extending a proven model as a regional system so that every student, regardless of where they attend school, can access pathways that lead to real economic opportunity.”

Founded over 40 years ago, EmployIndy has evolved into the region’s leading workforce and pathways intermediary—connecting employers with talent, guiding residents toward meaningful careers, and aligning education and industry partners around a stronger, more accessible economy. As the workforce development board for Indianapolis, EmployIndy plays a critical role in coordinating the county’s complex education landscape of 11 public school districts, numerous charter schools, and 25,000+ employers to provide young people with career-connected learning experiences.

This support comes as Indiana implements new graduation seals that require students to complete rigorous, career-focused coursework and demonstrate readiness for college, career, and civic participation. EmployIndy and its partners, including Central Indiana Education Services Center (CIESC), will help districts adhere to these new requirements by adopting seal-aligned pathway plans that embed work-based learning, structured advising cycles, and credential-bearing coursework. The initiative will also work to increase student access to dual credit courses in high-demand sectors, allowing students to earn both high school and college credit while building skills employers value.

“EmployIndy understands that building effective pathways isn’t just about individual programs—it’s about creating the regional systems and partnerships that allow those programs to reach every student,” said John Garcia III, executive director of the Pathways Impact Fund. “Their work transforming Central Indiana from strong local efforts into a coherent regional system exemplifies the kind of systems-level coordination we would like to see nationwide.”

Today’s EmployIndy award is part of the Pathways Impact Fund’s $7.5 million commitment to regional intermediaries working to scale high-quality pathways across five states. Backed by several of the nation’s largest philanthropies, the Fund’s strategy focuses on ensuring more young people access high-quality advising, accelerated coursework, and career-connected learning that lead to purposeful pathways and economic mobility.