Employers are finding innovative ways to build their employment pipelines, and one of those is by hiring youth apprentices. In Marion County, the Modern Apprenticeship (MAP) program– led by EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana– has set a goal of 60 employers hiring a total of 100 apprentices for 2023-24.

Modern Apprenticeship is a 3-year work-based learning program that begins during a student’s junior year in high school. The program offers students paid employment, which is critical to making the program a sustainable solution to address inequity in Marion County. Students also participate in on-the-job learning that contributes to actual job tasks and aligns with role competencies and related academics.

Businesses struggle to find the talent they need in today’s world of work, yet, at the same time, postsecondary graduation rates are declining, and young people are searching for quality jobs without the credentials or skills to be successful. Over ¾ of Indiana’s employers cannot find qualified candidates for their open positions. 

“Modern Apprenticeship brings together employers, students, and educators to build a sustainable employment pipeline,” says Marie Mackintosh, President & CEO at EmployIndy.  “These pipelines address employer talent challenges, create a path for student work experience, and provide industry input into education standards and curriculum.”

When students graduate from the Modern Apprenticeship program, they earn industry credentials as well as tangible skills that will stay with them throughout the duration of their careers.

“The healthcare industry is having a great challenge in not only finding highly qualified talent but retaining them, as well. All the Marion County healthcare systems are competing for the same, small supply of candidates,” says Michelle Mitchell, National Manager of Early Talent Development at Ascension. “Ascension has had to rethink how we have defined and pursued talent, and the Modern Apprenticeship program has helped us to create a custom talent pipeline where students are actually looking to create a career.”

The Modern Apprenticeship program also furthers crucial diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, as 90% of our current Youth Apprentice are people of color and/or female-identifying. This statistic alone defies the perceptions of traditional apprenticeships and speaks to the diverse talent available within our own community.

“Traditionally, the financial services industry is dominated by only a particular demographic,” says Eduardo Nieto, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director at OneAmerica. “Modern Apprenticeship has helped us expand and go beyond the traditional hires we normally have and diversify the talent in our workplace.”

Modern Apprenticeship works as a talent solution for businesses of all sizes as apprentices are able to develop on-the-job skills that are tailored to the company's needs. Employers can develop their own, diverse talent and create opportunities for growth while engaging young people and improving retention through this new way of hiring. 

“The Modern Apprenticeship program has found a lot of success in giving young leaders within an organization the opportunity to manage apprentices. It is a great way to grow the next generation of leaders within a company,” says Stephanie Bothun, Vice President & Co-founder of Ascend Indiana. “And there’s no better time than now to join Modern Apprenticeship.”

Additionally, Modern Apprenticeship registers apprenticeship experiences with the U.S Department of Labor via Register Apprenticeship programs (RAPs). Registered Apprenticeships enable more employers to participate in apprenticeships while, simultaneously, increasing their access to quality talent pools. 

Interested in becoming a Modern Apprenticeship employer? Visit indymodernapprenticeship.com or email YAinfo@nullemployindy.org to begin your organization’s journey with Youth Apprenticeship today!