WIOA State Plan Common Elements

1. Strategies the State will implement, including industry or sector partnerships related to in-demand industry sectors and occupations and career pathways, as required by WIOA section 101(d)(3)(B), (D). “Career pathway” is defined at WIOA section 3(7) and includes registered apprenticeship. “In-demand industry sector or occupation” is defined at WIOA section 3(23).

Upward mobility of Hoosier jobseekers and incumbent workers advances independent financial security, self-sustainability, and economic growth. Indiana is focused on addressing barriers for individuals including traditionally underserved populations, low-skilled adults, youth, and individuals with disabilities (as prescribed in WIOA Section 101(d)(3)(B)) while providing no cost or affordable career training pathways through registered apprenticeships and work and learn programs, skills-based training, career technical education, adult education, and post-secondary credentials. While there is no single state pathway for success, Indiana promotes high quality credential attainment as the primary driver of broad-based upward mobility. In addition, it is imperative that sector partnerships and employer signaling inform education and workforce training programs to keep pace with rapidly changing industry needs.

Career Pathways

Indiana recognizes the significant role of career pathway planning in helping Hoosier workers advance to better paying jobs by earning in-demand postsecondary credentials. Indiana prioritizes and encourages individuals to make informed decisions about their career pathway that (1) align with the skill needs of industry, (2) prepare them for work-based learning, skills-training or postsecondary education, (3) support their individual interest and aspiration, and (4) help them enter or advance within a specific occupation.

Over the last several years, workforce partners across the State have designed, coordinated, and launched successful career training pathway programs and resources, including but not limited to:

• Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) provides Hoosier students, jobseekers, and incumbent workers with tools and resources to help guide them toward an appropriate career pathway, through tools such as Indiana Career Explorer (INCE) and INDemand Jobs (https://www.in.gov/dwd/job-seekers/explore/). INCE is a career and education and training navigator, career assessment, and graduation planning resource for K-12, young adults aged 16-24, and adults. Within INCE, individuals can take career interest and aptitude assessments, locate education and training providers by industry and occupation, and map graduation requirements needed for K-12 graduation pathways. Labor market information, including occupational demand, is embedded throughout the platform to quickly communicate Indiana’s most in-demand jobs. INDemand Jobs focuses on current and future high-demand, high-wage jobs. Individuals can access this online tool to determine which industries and occupations are most in-demand at the State, region, and county level. INDemand Jobs determines which occupations are to be included by looking at five categories: total openings, growth openings, percentage change, real time labor market information, and wages for both short- and long-term outlook. The demand indicator (or “flames”) used is based on a methodology that ranks all Indiana jobs by each input category using short- and long-term job projections. An occupation is assigned a value of between 1 and 5 flames depending on how in-demand that occupation is in the selected geographic region, or in the State. Skills engine data supplements each occupational profile using national skills data from employers, coupled with Indiana-based employer validation to show the skills needed to be successful in an INDemand occupation. An example of a career pathway mapping for INDemand Jobs can be viewed at https://indemandjobs.dwd.in.gov/. Individuals can refer back to the INDemand Jobs tool to map out their career pathway while identifying the on- and off-ramps for additional education and skill development needed to progress. Indiana is currently updating the in-demand ranking methodology for the first time since its inception in 2017. A future iteration may include additional emphasis on job quality, including upward career mobility, livable wage, job stability and skill disruption potential.  In addition, emerging economic growth industries may be included as a subscore input.  Currently, funding and policy decisions related to education and training for the Eligible Training Provider List, Workforce Ready Grant, and Career Technical Education course level funding are informed by the INDemand Jobs ranking. Jobs are also listed by in-demand STEM-related fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
• In 2018, Governor Holcomb created the Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship (OWBLA) which coordinates efforts with the U.S. Department of Labor to develop and implement comprehensive work-based learning programs for youth and adults. As of December 2023, Indiana had 880 federally registered apprenticeship programs in high-demand sectors, including advanced manufacturing, construction, and building trades, as well as emerging sectors like cybersecurity and IT. OWBLA also coordinates a network of partners that support and impact work-based learning programs and has managed more than $9.6 million in U.S. Department of Labor funding since its inception. Since 2018, Indiana has ranked, on average, in the Top 6 for the number of total apprentices, new apprentices, and completions among all states and territories. In fact, Indiana has ranked as high as #2 for both new apprentices and completions and is currently the #1 state for number of apprentices per capita.  
• Work and Learn Indiana is a program that acts as a bridge connecting employers, learners, and educational institutions. It offers a user-friendly database, matching system, and reporting tools, along with valuable resources and expert guidance to support and empower Hoosiers to explore and pursue enriching work-based learning programs. Work and Learn Indiana is led by the Institute of Workforce Excellence, a subsidiary of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
• Comprehensive Employer Consulting, Skills Training & Career Development Hub – Established in 2018, Ivy+ Career Link operates workforce partnership and student support teams on each of Ivy Tech Community College’s 19 statewide campuses. Each campus department is staffed with Executive Directors, Employer Consultants, Talent Connection Managers, Career Coaches and more. Career Link teams aligned Skills-Based hiring supports and training that enables employers to match with interested students and/or to develop incumbent training strategies to promote staff retention and advancement. Key employer partnerships at scale include collaborations with Lippert Components in South – Elkhart and Fort Wayne regions, Allison Transmission in the Indianapolis region, the TASUS Corporation in the Bloomington region and many more.[1]    
• Industry 4.0 is a term used to acknowledge the fourth industrial revolution in advanced manufacturing and logistics (AML), signifying the adoption of machine learning, cloud computing, AI, and “smart” systems that refine and optimize processes. Conexus Indiana is working with Hoosier manufacturers to support their workforce and be a global leader in AML. Through its Catapult Indianaprogram, Conexus Indiana provides students with the opportunity to explore real-world programs in the AML sector. During the 160-hour programs, participants learn about and prepare for new careers through classroom work and hands-on simulations. Catapult Indiana is available to unemployed, underemployed adults and high school students. In addition, Ivy Tech Community College successfully developed and scaled Smart Manufacturing & Digital Integration non-degree and degree programs statewide, utilizing several best-in-class 3^rd-party industry recognized credentialing entities such as the Smart Automation Credentialing Alliance and more. In addition to offering short-term certificates and associate degrees in SMDI, Ivy+ Career Link departments also offer custom contract training programs to manufacturing employer partners ranging from robotics training, Programmable Logic Controls (PLC) training to even vendor specific robotic training on equipment types such as Allen Bradley, Fanuc and more.[2]    
• Modern Apprenticeship (MAP) is a three year-program designed to prepare Central Indiana high school students for the workforce with paid, hands-on experience that complements their traditional coursework. Apprentices begin their journey in their junior year and pursue jobs in growing fields, such as business, advanced manufacturing, and IT, propelling them on a pathway to continue their skill development either through postsecondary education or directly in the workforce. MAP is spearheaded by EmployIndy in partnership with Talent Bound and Ascend Indiana.
• The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) is partnering with educators and schools across the state to implement Indiana’s Priorities for STEM Education in an effort to integrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through an engaging and motivating, student-centered pedagogy and curriculum. Students are engaged in solving real-world problems using inquiry-based learning, problem-based learning, and engineering design practices, which require critical thinking and collaboration. Integrated STEM Frameworks, or pathways, are available to students K-12.
• Rethinking High School In 2023, HEA 1002 included provision for $5,000 student Career Scholarship Accounts (CSA) to reduce work-related barriers for increased participation in work-based learning and training to promote career preparation during high school. CSAs via HEA 1002 help provide monetary support for career coaching, dual enrollment costs, transportation to/from work and other barriers that might prevent a student from working.  Indiana already has a requirement that students show “demonstrable employability skills” as a graduation pathway standard to graduate from high school, but new requirements will be more work and skills focused. The CSA Program will also cover costs associated with enrolling in and attending IDOE-approved course sequences and career courses and programs of study leading to industry recognized credentials. Ultimately, IDOE can limit approval to course sequences and programs of study that culminate in a “credential of value” to ensure the programs are tailored to increase access to credentials of value rather than increase access to credentials generally. HEA 1002 will help shape a career navigation network, with the establishment of approved intermediaries. These intermediaries will meet with students and select individuals for thirty minutes to provide early career information, help establish job connections and advise on industry jobs, demand and training requirements.  

Sector Partnerships

Indiana has a long history of coordination and cooperation among industry and workforce partners to meet the needs of employers, workers, and jobseekers. Currently, Indiana is working on a coordinated, interdepartmental effort to help implement a cohesive State strategy to estimate the workforce impact stemming from federal workforce investments as well as other critical needs and high-growth sectors. Industry growth spurred by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) (including the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program), and CHIPS and Science Act, specifically, will generate an increased demand for workers with technical skills in semiconductor manufacturing, bio/life sciences, electric vehicle manufacturing, and clean energy.

Indiana has begun to experience growing demand for talent from semiconductor manufacturing, bio/life science, electric vehicle manufacturing, and clean energy industries. Within the last couple of years, several major companies announced plans for significant investment into the Hoosier State, including but not limited to:

• Eli Lilly, the State’s largest pharmaceutical company, announced in May 2022 a $2.1 billion investment in Boone County’s Limitless Exploration Advanced Place (LEAP District) – the largest investment in a single site in Lilly’s history. Modeled after the Research Triangle Park in North Caroline, the district will be a Midwest hub for global innovation. The site will create nearly 700 jobs, many of which will be manufacturing. While this project will take three and half years to complete, Indiana’s workforce system partners are in regular communication with Eli Lilly to begin the developing the necessary talent pipeline to fuel these jobs, which includes ensuring training is in place, a recruitment plan developed, and talent placement achieved.
• Stellantis, the maker of Chrysler and Jeep products, announced in October 2023 the expansion of its electric vehicle battery manufacturing presence in Indiana. The automaker’s joint venture with Samsung involves an investment of more than $3.2 billion to build a second battery plant in Kokomo. The investment is expected to create 1,400 new jobs according to a news release from Governor Holcomb. Once completed, 2,800 people will be employed at the two plants. This will be the second StarPlus Energy gigafactory in Kokomo, growing the joint venture company’s total investment to more than $6.3 billion. The second next-generation electric vehicle manufacturing facility will be built adjacent to the first gigafactory in Kokomo first announced in May 2022, which is currently under construction and targeted to launch in the first quarter of 2025 with an annual production of 33 gigawatt hours (GWh). This second battery manufacturing facility is expected to start production in early 2027 and aims to have an initial annual production of 34 GWh, significantly increasing the joint venture’s U.S. capacity and accelerating Stellantis’ transition to electric vehicles.[3]
• In June 2023, General Motors selected a site in New Carlisle, Indiana to build its fourth battery cell plant to support its production of electric vehicles, which is slated to open in 2026. The new plant will build nickel-rich battery cells used in EVs, which is expected to help significantly increase the accessibility and affordability of EVs.[4]
• In October 2022, EnPower, a lithium-ion battery maker based in Phoenix, announced plans to launch a battery manufacturing facility in Newberry, Indiana near the Naval Surface Warfare Center – Crane Division. Plans are for the creation of 151 new jobs.[5]

In response to recent federal workforce investments, Indiana’s industry partners have initiated the following strategies to meet employer needs and prepare a skilled and trained workforce:

CHIPS & Science Act

Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Commons Hub, a three-state endeavor led by the Indiana-based Applied Research Institute, was one of eight regional innovation hubs funded by the Department of Defense through the Microelectronic Commons program to help increase the production of semiconductor technologies and microelectronics. Silicon Crossroads was awarded nearly $33 million in the first round of hub funds which includes $8M for Midwest workforce development initiatives. The Silicon Crossroads hub will continue to compete for additional funding through future government calls for projects and calls for operations.

Heartland BioWorks, a biologics manufacturing initiative also led on behalf of the State of Indiana by the Applied Research Institute, was one of thirty-one Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs designated through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration’s Tech Hubs program. Heartland BioWorks currently has an application pending for an implementation grant of up to $75 million, the majority of which is focused on workforce development and the creation of a new training center in Indianapolis focused on this sector. The Tech Hub designation supports the acceleration of workforce development and helps dismantle barriers to success for entrepreneurs and small business owners with new biotech products by filling gaps identified by the EDA.

Inflation Reduction ActSince President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022, investment in electric vehicle manufacturing has increased to Indiana’s benefit. General Motors is now investing $491 million in a Marion, Indiana metal stamping plant to make parts for electric vehicles, and $45 million in a Bedford, Indiana aluminum die-casting foundry that will supply electric vehicle plants in Michigan. General Motors and Samsung also have chosen New Carlisle, Indiana for a new $3 billion electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant. Other clean energy investments across the State include the new Bila Solar plan and headquarters in Indianapolis and the Entek lithium battery plan in Terre Haute. In total, these projects are expected to create more than 1,400 new jobs. While for decades Indiana has been a top State for traditional, internal combustion-powered transportation manufacturing, the State is now pivoting its current and future assets toward electric and renewable-powered.

• After the passage of the IRA, Indiana submitted its plan for creating an electric vehicle charging infrastructure network: Charging the Crossroads. Though funded through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program, it directly correlates to the IRA’s investment in clean energy and EV production. Charging the Crossroads calls for the requirement of electricians installing, operating, or maintaining an EVSE to either be certified through the federally recognized Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program or be a graduate or certificate earner from a registered apprenticeship program for electricians that includes charger-specific training and is developed as a part of a national guideline standard approved by USDOL in consultation with the Department of Transportation.[6]
• Additionally, funding from the IRA resulted in the creation of Indiana University’s Indiana Resilience Funding Hub, a program to connect small towns with IRA and IIGA funding for sustainability and climate-change mitigation focused projects.

Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)

• Indiana is part of a $1 billion investment, funded by the BIL, into hydrogen production through the Midwest Alliance for Clean Energy. The Midwest Hub or MachH2, is one of seven across the country that will produce hydrogen as a fuel source for the region’s industrial and manufacturing sectors. This hub, to be located near BP’s refinery in Whiting, Indiana, is positioned to create a “hydrogen mobility corridor” in Indiana and across neighboring states. The hub consists of more than seventy public and private partner organizations from Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Partners from Indiana include the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Purdue University, BP, Energy Systems, and more. Embodying our moniker as the “crossroads of America”, the hub will be strategically located to a key U.S. industrial, manufacturing, and transportation corridor. The hub will accelerate Indiana’s clean energy efforts, cultivate new sources of energy for industry and residents alike while making Indiana, and the Midwest, a destination of excellence in hydrogen technology.
• Indiana will receive more than $868.1 million in federal funding from the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program under the BIL. Funding will be used to administer grant programs deploying or upgrading broadband networks to ensure equitable access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet service. Under the Office of Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, the Indiana Broadband Office developed the Steps to Success, crafted to help encourage and lead communities through the process of expanding connection. One of the steps in this plan is to “engage with partners to increase local workforce in anticipation of buildout.” Broadband brings more opportunities than just the internet – it brings new jobs, new residents, and new businesses. Communities are tasked with creating new or identifying existing career pathways that can be modified to support the installation of connectivity. Communities are encouraged to work with designated 21^st Century Talent Regions to attract, develop, and connect Hoosier workers to these opportunities. Federal funding through the BEAD program will build upon $580M combined public and private investment through Governor Holcomb’s Next Level Connections Broadband Program.

In addition to these federal programs, in 2022, Governor Holcomb leveraged $500 million from the Biden Administration’s stimulus package, American Rescue Plan, to launch the statewide economic development initiative, READI (Regional Economic and Acceleration and Development Initiative). The intent of READI was for neighboring counties, cities, and towns to come together and identify their region and outline strategies to make positive developments in talent attraction and development, among other areas such as quality of place, quality of life, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Regions were encouraged to involve a broad, diverse group of stakeholders including private employers, anchor institutions, higher education institutions and other educational entities, economic development, philanthropic partners, workforce partners, and elected officials. Seventeen READI regions were developed and awarded funds ranging from $5 million to $50 million. Regional workforce projects include (but are not limited to):

• Workforce housing
• Creation of an education and innovation center
• Work-based learning expansions
• Creation of youth entrepreneurship ecosystems
• Development of new experiential learnings for emerging jobs and sectors
• Creation of a regional high education talent pipeline and partnership consortium
• Launch of regional talent attraction campaigns
• Development of a microelectronics campus
• Expansion of computing coding and IT bootcamps

In 2023, the Indiana General Assembly announced an additional $500 million from State general funds for a second phase of READI, READI 2.0, to maintain Indiana’s long-term competitiveness and growth, reliant on the State’s ability to attract and people talent in communities across the State. Applications were due in February 2024 and projects are anticipated to start in May 2024.

Additionally, the Indiana General Assembly allocated $30 million toward the Orthopedic Industry Retention Initiative, operated by OrthoWorx, a non-profit organization based in Warsaw, Indiana, to attract and retain talent in the “Orthopedic Capital of the World” in Kosciusko County. The county represents about half of the $60 billion global orthopedics market and the industry accounts for more than 22,000 jobs in the region and approximately $19 billion in revenue, according to the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. OrthoWorx embodies the spirit of an industry sector partnership, working with orthopedic industry members, academic partners, and community leaders to capitalize on the resources and expertise in the region and industry to achieve its workforce goals.

Workforce ecosystem partners must serve as trailblazers in partnership with the State and employers to prepare Hoosiers now for the economy of the future through sector-based strategies that connect K-12 and education and training providers with relevant training responsive to industry needs.

[1] Source: https://www.wboi.org/news/2024-01-29/employers-and-ivy-tech-partner-for-affordable-free-college-and-skills-training   

[2] Source: https://www.ivytech.edu/programs/all-academic-programs/school-of-advanced-manufacturing-engineering-applied-science/smart-manufacturing-digital-integration/ 

[3] https://www.indystar.com/story/news/environment/2023/10/11/stellantis-electric-vehicles-kokomo-indiana-3-billion-battery-plant-united-auto-workers-strike/71140099007/

[4] https://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gm-facilities/ultium-cells-battery-plants-global/ultium-cells-usa-battery-plants/gm-new-carlisle-indiana-battery-plant/

[5]https://www.ibj.com/articles/enpowers-pivot-to-battery-making-leads-company-to-indianapolis

[6] Source: Charging the Crossroads plan, https://chargingthecrossroads.com/

2. Strategies the State will use to align the core programs, any Combined State Plan partner programs included in this Plan, required and optional one-stop partner programs, and any other resources available to the State to achieve fully integrated customer services consistent with the strategic vision and goals described above. Also describe strategies to strengthen workforce development activities in regard to weaknesses identified in section II(a)(2).  

PILLAR I: REMOVING BARRIERS FOR WORKERS 

Indiana anticipates an unprecedented influx of federal dollars to fund infrastructure projects via the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) which includes broadband infrastructure via the Broadband Equity and Deployment program (BEAD), research and manufacturing for biotech and semiconductors via the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS), and clean and renewable energy via the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). These federal acts allow – and in some instances require – certain workforce development initiatives to be grant-funded; however, the specific dollar amount and use of funds has not been explicitly stated. The potential for braided funding through this influx to support workforce training and wrap-around resources in combination with WIOA funding could bolster workforce system offerings.  

Given the State’s overall workforce shortage, but particularly in the skilled trades – which will likely comprise a significant share of workforce demand – Indiana must develop a targeted workforce strategy to support these sectors and others to help meet the demand for skilled workers for these critical projects.  

Indiana, much like other states, is at full-employment and experiencing workforce shortages and challenges across all sectors. It is likely other industries will experience a ripple effect of additional staffing shortages as a result of the infrastructure projects. In addition, these opportunities compel Indiana to better serve target populations, such as the unemployed, underemployed, and out of the labor force populations that have been historically underrepresented in the labor market. By developing strategic initiatives to draw in and support individuals who may have faced barriers to employment, Indiana can expand its available talent pool, support employer demand, and provide a pathway to increased prosperity for Hoosiers. 

Despite low unemployment after the pandemic, there remain individuals on the sidelines who have not yet returned to the labor market, impacting workforce availability for employers who are seeking to fill in-demand jobs. Too many Indiana workers continue to face barriers and challenges to enter, or re-enter, the workforce since the pandemic. Common barriers, as identified by a 2023 GWC survey to workforce partners and employers, included access to affordable childcare, lack of technical skills, mental health, access to affordable housing, and transportation. In addition, Veterans face unique readjustment to civilian life barriers, including translation of military career to civilian skills and credential alignment, employer bias, and relational and systemic supportive services needed to make successful employment connections. To ensure every Hoosier can fully participate and compete in the labor market, Indiana aims to knock down those barriers and provide equitable access to jobs, training, and funding opportunities.

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) has been a key partner helping Hoosier families access childcare, the most identified workforce barrier. In addition to Head Start, Early Head Start, and Childcare Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers, the state’s On My Way Pre-K program awards vouchers to 4-year-olds from low-income families to access a high-quality prekindergarten program the year before school entry. In 2023, income eligibility for the program was raised from 127% to 150% of the federal poverty level, increasing the number of families eligible for this voucher. Additionally, the State approved new tax credits for small- and mid-sized businesses that provide employer-sponsored or subsidized childcare to incentivize more employers to offer childcare options. In 2023, FSSA awarded $25M in its Employer Sponsored Childcare Fund to provide seed funding for employers and local communities to expand employer-subsidized childcare benefits to address growing local childcare needs. Through the effort, the state hopes to increase childcare access and support for working Hoosier families.  As the GWC travels across the state and meets with workforce system partners, it will aim to identify, collect, and elevate best practices and lessons learned from businesses to help foster and support an ecosystem for employers who sponsor or subsidize childcare.

As the Baby Boomer generation grows older, the demand for workers to support the care economy also grows. Currently, 17% of the State’s total population is 65 years and older, while over 25% of current workers in the health care and social assistance industry are 55 years and older. Indiana offers workers several options to enroll in a healthcare and social assistance training or other occupational program. It is important that front-line and partner staff are aware of these programs so they can guide workers in making informed career decisions, including where demand and pay is highest. However, there are also opportunities to position individuals on a healthcare and social assistance career pathway, beginning with an entry level job as a home health and personal care aide. Many entry-level healthcare and social assistance occupations, like home health and personal care aides, require only a high school diploma. Through additional education and training, these workers can progress through their career pathway journey to become a nursing assistant and registered nurse. Indiana FSSA, which administers Vocational Rehabilitation, developed the State’s Direct Service Worker Investment Strategy to improve workforce retention, ensure quality of long-term services and support, and support the well-being of the workforce and the individuals they serve.

Even before the pandemic, access to transportation was a challenge for many workers. Indiana’s influx of new Americans, including legal immigrants and refugees, led to the creation of a driving privilege card to help these individuals travel to and from work. The Career Scholarship Account program also provides funding to support transportation to and from work as an allowable expense to eligible 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students who are pursuing apprenticeships, applied learning experiences, work-based learning, and credential attainment programs.

Paying exam fees to earn certifications on Indiana’s promoted industry certification list has been a significant challenge for Hoosiers eager to enter the workforce. Under Governor Holcomb’s Next Level Programs of Study initiative, students are now eligible for reimbursement of those fees, enabling quicker placement into the workforce.

Brookings reported that more than 75% of jobs in the U.S. now require medium or high levels of digital skills.[1] As noted by Brookings, two distinct priorities are needed to ensure society makes the best use of new technologies, especially without further expanding income disparities: (1) the collaboration of firms, industry associations, educational institutions, and government to expand the high-skill IT talent pipeline and (2) the expansion of basic digital literacy, particularly among underrepresented populations. At a State level, Purdue University estimates that 85% of all jobs in Indiana between 2010 and 2019 required some level of digital skills and all job gains during that period were among those requiring medium or high skills.

The State’s 2023 Legislative Session both sustained and increased Governor Holcomb’s signature Next Level Jobs (NLJ)workforce training programs, maintaining sustained$17 million per year for the  NLJ Employer Training Grant and tripling funding to $12 million per year for the NLJ Workforce Ready Grant  for credit and non-credit bearing short-term certificate programs. Moreover, reforms to state funding for adult education, which was increased $12 million over this biennium, was expanded to cover all WIOA-eligible purposes, including digital and computer literacy. Though funds from this session were not explicitly appropriated for digital equity and literacy, the State will monitor prioritization of funds should they be directed to support digital equity and literacy in the 2024 Legislative Session. The GWC is reviewing criteria for FY25 using updated IN Demand Rankings Methodology and reviewing the preferred training provider list to support digital workforce readiness across multiple industries by offering digital, tech-infused curricula and advanced industry certification programs.

During the pandemic, it became clear that equitable, widespread access to broadband was a necessity not only for business, but for individuals to learn, train, and engage. Indiana is working to expand broadband access across the entire State, recognizing its vital role in economic development, education, healthcare and social assistance (including mental health and substance abuse), and overall quality of life. The State implemented numerous initiatives and programs to enhance broadband infrastructure and connectivity, guaranteeing that all residents can enjoy reliable and affordable high-speed internet services. Governor Holcomb has shown a strong commitment to this effort by investing over $268 million in broadband infrastructure through the Next Level Connections program, benefiting more than 74,800 homes and commercial locations. These initial investments have yielded valuable insights on encouraging private investment, resulting in a total leverage of over $580 million.

In 2023, Indiana was awarded more than $868.1 million in federal high-speed internet funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s telecommunications wing. Funding will be deployed to upgrade broadband networks across the State so that every Hoosier has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet service. The Indiana Broadband Office is planning and currently determining exactly how BEAD funds will be allocated and awarded to Internet Service Providers.

[1]https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021.02.10_BrookingsMetro_Indiana-State-of-renewal.pdf

PILLAR II: PREPARING FUTURE SKILLED WORKERS

Indiana envisions a future where all Hoosiers, inclusive of population groups that have been historically marginalized, have access to education and training pathways that lead to high quality, good jobs that promote economic security and upward mobility. Technology disruption and advances in globalization spur an urgency for policy and programming focused on ensuring Hoosiers can remain agile and resilient to economic and labor market changes.

Indiana’s high concentration of manufacturing employment puts nearly 1 in 5 workers at risk of job disruption due to robotics and automation. Increased specialized technical skills are needed now and in the near future to support advanced manufacturing, among other industries. While jobs may not be eliminated, job tasks are being transformed and will require continued employer feedback on the future-forward skillsets they most need, thus automation-proofing workers capable of pivoting to new challenges.

Today’s workers will need to adopt a continuous learning mindset throughout their career progression. Developing digital readiness and technical skills that will build resiliency and agility for the Hoosier workforce within a rapidly changing economy is imperative. High-quality credential attainment can provide workers with economic security, industry-relevant skills, and can help propel workers along an intentional career pathway. Stackable pathways beginning with K-12 through post-secondary credit-bearing programs or directly into a work-based learning or skills-based training progression provide more than one pathway to success. Simultaneously, credit for prior learning initiatives can help individuals progress more seamlessly through their education and career goals. This topic of rethinking high school diploma requirements generated much attention across the State as reports highlighted the college-going and credentialing rates of Hoosiers following the pandemic. Indiana’s postsecondary-going rate fell to 53% for the high school classes of 2020 and remained flat in 2021 – a 6-point drop from 2019 and 12-point drop from 2015. This is the lowest rate in at least a generation. Progress has been made recently in this space as the number of students enrolling in college increased by 2% compared to the fall of the 2022 school year, making 2023 the first-year collegiate enrollment in Indiana has increased in the past 13 years. The plan focuses on high school diploma requirements that are more flexible and relevant to students, employers, and communities, as well as improving access to high-quality work-based learning opportunities and increasing the number of postsecondary credentials earned by students before they graduate from high school. Changes are expected to go into effect by the 2024-25 academic year.

Indiana is committed to increasing access to credentials of value through the Career Scholarship Account program, which provides students with access to funds for qualified expenses, including costs associated with enrolling in and attending approved course sequences, career courses, apprenticeship programs (including modern youth apprenticeships), and programs of study that lead to an industry recognized credential. To ensure programs are tailored to increase access to credentials of value, Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) has the authority to limit approval of course sequences and programs of study.

To help inform career awareness of students before graduation, the Indiana General Assembly allocated funding in HEA 1002 to the IDOE, in consultation with the Commission for Higher Education (CHE), for intermediaries to support the career navigation network. These intermediaries will meet with students and other select individuals for thirty minutes to provide early career information, help establish job connections, and advise on industry jobs, demand, and training requirements.

Indiana is positioned to shepherd in a new era for higher education and workforce development. In 2023, State lawmakers adopted a two-year budget that includes $120 million for new buildings envisioned as part of the uncoupling of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), giving both Indiana University and Purdue University their own identities in Indianapolis. The spending plan includes $60 million for Indiana University to construct a school of science instructional and research building and $60 million for Purdue to build an academic and student success building. GWC members are actively working with both universities on a bold 50-year strategic plan aimed at bolstering the number of STEM graduates to meet the growing demand for talent. It is worth noting that in 2023, the State legislature restructured the existing CTE Grant to incentivize completion of credentials of value in high school. The tuition support formula now consists of two separate components: (1) the CTE Program Enrollment Grant based on enrollment in high-, moderate- and less-than-moderate value programs and (2) the newly established Credential Completion Grant.

The federal government recognized that since the pandemic many displaced American workers were still on the sidelines, cautious to re-enter the workforce. In July 2022, the Employment and Training Administration, under the U.S. Department of Labor, announced funding for Quality Jobs, Equity, Strategy, and Training (QUEST) Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker (DWG) grants. The objective of this funding was to enable individuals who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic – and the social and economic inequities that the pandemic exacerbated – to enter, return to, or advance in high-quality jobs in growth industries including infrastructure, environment and climate, the care economy, and other critical sectors.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) was awarded $10.8 million from this grant program for “advanced data analytics, community outreach, and stakeholder partnerships to define an outreach strategy to connect with and engage the target population in education and training activities while also connecting them to employers willing to invest in upskilling of talent through high-quality work-based learning models. Business engagement activities focus on the State’s critical economic sectors, particularly renewable energy, electric vehicle technologies, and semiconductor production.”

DWD used QUEST funds to create the Workforce Recommendation Engine (WRE). The WRE is a tool designed to help workers increase their educational attainment and pursue a career in an in-demand job that aligns with their interests and work experience, resulting in higher wages. It centralizes workforce services by leveraging longitudinal data and artificial intelligence technologies to connect workers to workforce resources and programs. WRE recommends individualized occupational training and career paths based on real-time, real-world data insights from similar individuals who have had positive workforce outcomes. It also combines employer demand/opportunities with customized avenues for consideration, guiding individuals toward a career that provides employment stability, upward mobility, and fulfillment.

Coordination among workforce partners and State agencies contributes to the WRE’s effectiveness. The WRE leverages data the State already collects during daily governance activity to better serve workers. The goal is to use data that already exists in the algorithm to identify training programs and career pathways that align with users’ educational and work background and desired future state (e.g., increased wages, length of training, cost of training, distance willing to travel for training, etc.) rather than asking them to take yet another assessment. By streamlining this approach, Indiana hopes to reduce duplication of services among program partners and make coordinated recommendations using technology and data from unemployment insurance claims.

Sharing knowledge and information among WIOA partners makes the public workforce system operate more efficiently and effectively. While the customer satisfaction rates at Indiana WorkOne Centers are high, more can be done to ensure that customers walking through the front doors of a WorkOne Center, or through the virtual front doors online, receive high-quality and informed services, including awareness of training programs and eligible workforce training grants.

To help workers pursue training for entry-level jobs that feed into a career pathway progression, Indiana is currently developing an occupational demand ranking that will include inputs to help identify foundational skills needed for career progression, as well as upwardly mobile career pathways using labor market information, job posting and scraped resume/profile data. These developments can be used to help maximize an individual’s long term career progression and earning potential and will create State and Federal funding prioritization alignment with good jobs. In addition, sector partnerships will develop additional feedback for curriculum development to develop talent pipelines for entry level, good jobs that will provide career progression. Informing Hoosiers of new funding opportunities to support their skill development and/or education will also be key to developing the future talent pipeline.

Fortunately, existing grant programs have seen increased funding to support the current demand. For example, the Frank O’Bannon Grant program received a 35% increase to the maximum base-award amount. The maximum award for a student attending a public institution increased to $6,200 and to $12,400 for a student at a private institution. The grant is designed to provide access for Hoosier students to attend eligible public, private, and proprietary postsecondary institutions. Eligibility for the grant is based on financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The grant may be used toward tuition and regularly assessed fees. The new award amount goes into effect during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Indiana enacted a requirement for all Indiana students (with some exceptions) to submit a FAFSA during their senior year of high school, beginning in the fall of 2023. Hoosier students miss out on tens of millions of dollars in grants annually by not filling out the FAFSA. In the most recent school year, just 36% of high school seniors completed a FAFSA. Indiana hopes that through this legislative mandate, students will be empowered to discover post-secondary education opportunities and funding.

Additionally, Indiana recently began auto-enrolling financially eligible students in the 21st Century Scholars program. For over 30 years, the 21st Century Scholarship has played a transformative role in getting more Hoosiers prepared to enroll and succeed in college. Automatically enrolling income-eligible students will lead to greater levels of educational attainment, stronger communities, and a globally competitive workforce. For reference, the college-going rate for students from low-income households who are not part of the 21st Century Scholars program is 30%. Considering their on-time college completion rate of 27%, students from low-income households have only an 8% likelihood of graduating from high school and completing college on time. The graduation rate for students enrolled in a 21st Century Scholars program was 81%.

Indiana has also placed a priority on ensuring a strong pipeline of educators in STEM-related subjects. The Indiana State Board of Education is in the process of establishing content area license and endorsement requirements for elementary school math and science teachers. The 2023 legislative session allocated up to $1.2 million in grants to postsecondary education institutions that support programs and initiatives dedicated to increasing student enrollment and improving student scores in math and science AP courses. Professional learning opportunities for educators regarding digital learning are now available via David C. Ford technology funds.

Ivy Tech Community College recently re-branded and modernized its definition of non-credit courses now titled Skills Training. Skills Training refers to noncredit courses that prepare learners for occupations and careers within high-demand, high-wage industry sectors related to regional, state, and national economies. Skills Training also refers to occupations within high-demand employment sectors (e.g., Healthcare, Manufacturing, Information Technology), that are critical to regional and state economies. The Skills Training courses can be delivered across various delivery formats, including virtual, in-person and hybrid. The college recruits, high-quality full-time and adjunct instructors from industry to design and facilitate courses in partnership with some of the state’s largest employers including Cummins, Toyota, Fort Wayne Metals, and more. Skills Training partnerships are also commonly utilized by small and medium sized businesses as well. As of 02/12/2024, 15,049 students are currently enrolled in Skills Training courses, which is a 43% point in time increase from the same time period in 2023. 

Early childhood education is vital to preparing future skilled workers. Earlier this year, the State Legislature adopted language requiring the Early Learning Advisory Committee to update the Paths to Quality rating system for providers, with an eye towards education, transparency, and accountability. Additionally, in Governor Holcomb’s 2024 State of the State Address, he announced that the State will add early childhood education credential training to the State’s Workforce ReadyGrant and Employer Training Grant programs.

Led by the Indiana State Library, $6 million was recently appropriated for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Indiana to increase kindergarten readiness. The mission of the Imagination Library of Indiana is to foster a love of reading among young learners by ensuring equitable access to free high-quality, age-appropriate books mailed monthly to their homes from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. The vision is that all early learners will develop a home library that inspires individual and family reading time. Parents and guardians are a child’s first and best teachers, but access to books should never be a barrier. The Imagination Library of Indiana will increases childhood literacy rates, fosters a love of books, and promotes a culture of reading among all families in Indiana. Coupled with the state’s other early learning efforts, this program will improve statewide kindergarten readiness.

Indiana also established requirements related to literacy and the science of reading to ensure that all students are able to read by the end of the third grade.

PILLAR III: HELPING EMPLOYERS FIND & DEVELOP SKILLED WORKERS

Indiana’s talent development system must be responsive to the needs of employers, remain innovative, and provide real-time solutions to complex and pressing problems. Indiana faces a defining moment as it contemplates the future of work. The State’s economy must respond to employer demand for a technically skilled, adaptable workforce. The GWC is embracing new approaches to serving Hoosier employers amid these changes in the labor market. Currently, it is determining existing resources, potential service gaps, and the functional properties of a statewide Talent Agency offering, designed specifically as a service to employers. The inspiration for this agency reflects feedback from employers and successful outcomes from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Talent Pipeline Management business model. The identified need to create a framework for direct and ongoing industry feedback regarding employer-backed credentials, in-demand skills, and emerging industry hiring needs will allow for better workforce and education system alignment.

Work-based learning (e.g., pre-apprenticeships, registered apprenticeships, internships, job shadowing, etc.) also offer additional pathways to success for individuals and employers. These programs allow employers to invest in Hoosiers while benefiting from increased skills and higher retention rates. With continued unemployment rates under 4%, meeting employer demand will require connecting population groups such as returning citizens, veterans, refugees, immigrants, new Americans, individuals not participating in the labor force, and underserved individuals to good jobs available both now and in the future.

Indiana maintains a strong foundation for increasing the number of apprenticeships and work-based learning programs but will need to increase awareness and enrollment. Through the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s 501(c)3 subsidiary, The Institute for Workforce Excellence, the Work and Learn Indiana program links employers, learners, high schools, colleges and universities to a searchable database, matching, and reporting system that provides resources and guidance on work-based learning opportunities. This, paired with the statewide Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship, will help generate a skilled and ready talent pipeline.

In 2022, based on the GWC’s recommendation, legislation was passed to assist in the development of a network of approved intermediaries, which may include staffing agencies, local workforce development boards, and employers. This network provides high school students with early career exposure and navigation, job connections, and advising on various industries, current and future demand, career options, and associated training to help with job placement. In addition, Indiana is the first state in the nation to implement Career Scholarship Accounts (CSAs) for students engaged in work-based learning, applied learning experiences, apprenticeships, and credential attainment. These accounts remove potential barriers related to eligible costs of career coaching and navigation services, postsecondary education and training, transportation and equipment, and certification and credentialing examinations. With only 53% of students going on to college immediately after graduating from high school, Indiana must work alongside employers to transform the high school experience to ensure today’s students are aware of, prepared for, and driven toward occupations that meet the State’s most in-demand and critical needs.

Work-based learning provides all Hoosiers, including youth and adults, with opportunities for skill development, career exposure, and the ability to earn income. These experiences are key to building intentional, early connections between employers and future prospective workers. These relationships can help bridge the skilled labor gap and improve State talent retention.

Employers are increasingly looking to and finding success utilizing alternative talent pipelines, on-the-job training and apprenticeships, and skills-based hiring practices to help shape their talent pool within a tight labor market. Indiana must develop clear pathways for individuals with barriers to employment that work in lock step with employers to open doors to economic sustainability and fill needed jobs so that employers become “talent producers” rather than just “talent consumers.” Skills-based hiring practices are one avenue that can be utilized to level playing fields for individuals who can do the work but may not have a previously required credential. While Indiana remains laser-focused on meeting the goal of 60% of Hoosiers holding a post-secondary credential beyond high school by 2025, it is recognized that, for many individuals, getting a job can be the first step toward increased access and stability, on-the-job training, and future skills-based or credential attainment.