“MAP is like a Willy Wonka golden ticket that employers just have to cash in,” says Chad Smith, Chief Personnel Officer at Plastic Recycling, Inc. “The high quality and character of the applicants we have seen just blew my mind. The focus and maturity of the students we interviewed have been really impressive.” 

Modern Apprenticeship combines on-the-job learning with paid employment, college credit, and the prospect of earning industry credentials. Not only does the program give students a unique ability to multiply their options after high school, but it also allows employers to tap into diverse pools of young talent and invest in building quality talent pipelines. 

In the fall of 2020, EmployIndy partnered with Ascend Indiana to launch Modern Apprenticeship, also known as MAP, a three-year program that offers many pathways to success by ensuring Marion County high school students have the requisite skills they need to thrive in the growing 21st-century industries like financial services, business operations, healthcare, and information technology. Over 30 employers from Marion County participate in the Modern Apprenticeship program, including Plastic Recycling, which has offered four Youth Apprentices for Cohort II.

Plastic Recycling, Inc. was established in 1988 as the need for quality and economic methods of plastic recycling continued to grow. The company sought to not only benefit the environment but invest in premier customer services as well. Today, Plastic Recycling, Inc. retains the same principles of focusing and committing to excellence as the founders used when launching the company almost four decades ago. 

Chad Smith, Chief Personnel Officer at Plastic Recycling, has participated in Modern Apprenticeship since its launch. Smith indicated that the program provided Plastic Recycling with the opportunity to expand its external partnerships while investing in local youth. The company was thrilled to connect with Marion County schools as a source of qualified talent. 

“We have extended 2 offers for Maintenance Tech through the Modern Apprenticeship program which is a position in high demand yet low supply of qualified workers,” says Smith.  “We have had difficulty finding individuals with experience or expertise in the area. I see MAP as a way to grow our own and meet our talent needs.”

Plastic Recycling currently processes 100 million pounds a year of recycled materials a year and is looking to grow to 400 million pounds of recycled materials to keep out of landfills. But, the organization needs to develop team members to scale its capacity to that extent. Along with the Maintenance Tech positions, Plastic Recycling is also hiring Youth Apprentices for an HR Associate and Manufacturing Tech. 

Is your organization looking to invest in its short- and long–term talent strategies? Connect with the Business Partnerships team at EmployIndy to find out how you can get involved with programs like Modern Apprenticeship.