Indianapolis – March 7, 2024 – This morning, Mayor Joe Hogsett, EmployIndy, and partners kicked off the summer hiring season by announcing the 2024 edition of the Project Indy summer jobs initiative at Victory Field. Project Indy is currently offering nearly 2,450 available positions from over 100 local employers on its online platform at projectindy.net, which makes it easier than ever for young people to get connected to employers who are hiring.
“We’re excited to welcome the Indianapolis Indians and Victory Field into the Project Indy family of youth employers,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Since 2016, thousands of young people and hundreds of local employers have used this tool to find and fill the jobs that support a more prosperous and qualified Indy workforce.”
Project Indy was launched in 2016 by Mayor Hogsett alongside EmployIndy, the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee (GIPC), and the Marion County Commission on Youth (MCCOY). Since its launch, Project Indy has empowered nearly 17,500 young adults in Marion County by providing work experiences that build their employability skills and allow them to explore new career fields. During that time, over 350 employers have posted open positions on the portal.
Youth ages 16-24 can get started using Project Indy’s virtual job board by simply texting “ProjectIndy” to 317-659-9657. This easy-to-use online platform utilizes text messaging to recruit and onboard job seekers, includes a location-based tool that works to connect youth to nearby opportunities, and also allows for filtering job opportunities by interest. Once registered, job seekers can easily apply to any of the hundreds of open positions by providing a few pieces of basic information.
By hiring young adults throughout Marion County, local employers provide soft-skill development and job-readiness training, playing an important role in training our future workforce. Employers, such as new Project Indy partner Indianapolis Indians, benefit by creating a talent pipeline for their business or industry.
“Hiring young people is key to our success and we feel Project Indy is going to benefit us a lot in that effort,” said Business Operations Manager at the Indianapolis Indians, Sarah Haynes. “Some of our key leaders got their start in part-time or internship positions here, and we look forward to sparking career interest in our new hires.”
EmployIndy, which administers Project Indy, will continue promoting the virtual platform through face-to-face recruiting at Indianapolis-area high schools, targeted social media campaigns, and presence at local youth hiring fairs. In 2023, over 700 young people in Indianapolis were connected to job opportunities through Project Indy.
“Project Indy is one of our Career-Connected Learning initiatives within EmployIndy that ensures young adults are prepared for success in the 21st-century economy,” said EmployIndy President + CEO, Marie Mackintosh. “Additionally, Project Indy gives employers the opportunity to modernize their recruitment strategy through discovering, hiring, and developing the right talent.”
In 2018, EmployIndy, in partnership with the City of Indianapolis and the Indy Chamber, launched Job Ready Indy, an online employability skills program focused on providing the soft skills needed to succeed in the workplace. When an individual completes one of the online courses, a Job Ready Indy badge will appear on their Project Indy profile – notifying an interested employer that they are deemed by EmployIndy and the Indy Chamber as someone who demonstrates the “job-ready” skills important to the workplace.
Employers interested in hiring youth can sign up to be a Project Indy partner here. Youth interested in joining the Project Indy platform can get started by simply texting “ProjectIndy” to 317-659-9657 or visiting projectindy.net.
