INDIANAPOLIS, IN – November 15, 2018 – EmployIndy, the entity overseeing Marion County’s workforce initiatives, recently received a $125,000 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) grant from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) to continue building out a training model and implement an online portal and learning management system for all workforce development professionals.

“These funds will afford EmployIndy the ability to ensure that frontline staff have the tools and training they need to more effectively provide services to residents,” said Angela Carr Klitzsch, president and CEO of EmployIndy. “Our plan includes the development of online and in-person training that align with both nationally recognized and local best practices, fostering a system of improved impact and consistency among all service providers.”

By providing this tool, EmployIndy is having a direct impact on both employers and job seekers. The vision is that service providers will now be equally equipped to assist residents in filling the talent gaps needed for the high-demand industries.

“Marion County employers and residents alike will see the benefits of this grant, as it will help career navigators throughout the workforce development ecosystem better prepare individuals for the in-demand jobs of today's market,” said Bill Turner, chairman of EmployIndy.

With a mission to improve and grow Indiana’s regional workforce, DWD awarded a total of $1.5 million in grants to Indiana’s twelve Workforce Development Boards.

“We wanted to invest this money in local communities to address each of their unique challenges,” DWD Commissioner Fred Payne said. “It’s an important tool in helping more Hoosiers enter the workforce.”

This WIOA funding is used to tackle current regional workforce issues and utilize preventative methods so that the issues of today will not arise in the future. Each proposal focused on improving the workforce operations of that region in alignment with Gov. Eric Holcomb’s and DWD’s objectives.

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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 the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
WIOA was enacted in 2014 and replaced the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. It is designed to strengthen and improve the nation’s public workforce system and help get American citizens, including youth and those with significant barriers to employment, into high-quality jobs and careers.

About Indiana Department of Workforce Development
DWD serves the worker and the employer to ensure workplace success. DWD is committed to innovating and invigorating Indiana’s economic future by providing WorkOne Career Centers, Unemployment Insurance, Labor Market Information, Regional Workforce Strategies and Professional Training. Through these services, DWD is able to develop a premier workforce that enables Indiana employers to flourish and entices businesses from outside our state to relocate to Indiana.