Engage, Align, Advance: Highlighting Career Readiness in Indiana

Click here to view this newsletter online

EAA

Click here to sign up for the Engage, Align, Advance newsletter. 

Bar

DWD Unveils New Indiana Career Explorer

ICE

DWD recently launched the newly enhanced Indiana Career Explorer (ICE). The new look and feel features:

  • Enhanced responsive design to increase compatibility with mobile devices;
  • Incorporated demand data;
  • Updated, user-friendly Indiana Grad Plan; and
  • Redesign of all content assessments for increased accuracy and better navigation.

In conjunction with the ICE release and further upgrades in 2017, training sessions are in development that will cover new features and functionality. ICE training sessions are available starting in January. You can also view public training sessions at kuder.com/courses-events/.

Bar
WEC

Eighteen Pilot Programs Selected for Work Ethic Certification Initiative

Eighteen pilot programs were recently awarded nearly $600,000 to implement the Governor’s Work Ethic Certificate (WEC) program. The program, developed by the State Workforce Innovation Council (SWIC) to address the employability skills gap, will provide recipients between $20,000 and $55,000 to develop and adopt community- and employer-recognized work ethic certification programs in communities throughout Indiana.

The Governor’s WEC is part of an ongoing effort to encourage collaboration among employers and local school districts and career centers. Employer input is required during the development of a program with the goal of providing high school students with an understanding of the employability skills in-demand by local employers. 

More information about the Governor’s WEC program, including a listing of recipients is available at in.gov/dwd/workethic.htm.  Interested parties that did not apply or did not receive grant funding are encouraged to develop and implement WEC programs in their community. 

Bar

Region 4 Workforce Board Awarded $6 Million Grant

R4

Indiana's Region 4 Workforce Board, which represents 12 counties in west central Indiana, recently received a $6 million "America's Promise" grant from the US Department of Labor (USDOL). The funding will provide free training to over 1,100 Hoosiers through a cooperative advanced manufacturing program offered by Purdue Polytechnic Institute Lafayette, Ivy Tech Community College – Lafayette and Vincennes University.

“This brings the total training funds awarded to Region 4 Workforce Board to $16 million in the last two years, with another $4 million in leveraged private and public investments,” said Region 4 Workforce Board Executive Director Roger Feldhaus in an article in the Carroll County Comet. “In many respects, this America’s Promise Grant builds on the momentum created by those two earlier grants and the programs they funded.”

The Board has previously received a "Ready to Work" grant and "Skill Up Indiana" grant. The Board's "America's Promise" grant is part of $111 million in funding through USDOL and is the only one awarded in Indiana. 

America's Promise grantees support tuition-free programs for industry-specific skills. To be eligible for the grant, boards had to develop partnerships that included industry leaders, education institutions, elected officials and economic development organizations. 

Bar
HH50

Hoosier Hot 50:
Job of the Month

Each month, this newsletter will highlight one of the Hoosier Hot 50 (HH50) jobs. HH50 is a listing of the fastest growing, high-wage jobs of tomorrow. The list's ranking is based on expected demand and wages in 2022 for the state of Indiana. Although HH50 focuses on the jobs of tomorrow, there are several professions that are hot now.

 

Machinist

#44 - Machinist

Average Salary: $38,310
Education Training: Certification
Major Industry: Manufacturing

2012 Employment: 13,479
2022 Projections: 14,217
Annual Growth: 5.48%
Annual Change: 383

"Machining is not something that you can hop into and just instantly get it; you learn something new every day. If you like constant challenge, if you like working with numbers and physical properties of materials, then you're going to enjoy this job. It's challenging, but it's really, really fun in the end." ~ Austin, CNC Machinist (watch video)

Check out more "Hoosier Hot 50" jobs at 

www.hoosierhot50.com

December 2016

In this Issue:

  • DWD Unveils New Indiana Career Explorer
  • Eighteen Pilot Programs Selected for Work Ethic Certificate Initiative
  • Region 4 Receives $6 Million Workforce Grant
  • Hoosier Hot 50: Job of the Month
  • Lebanon Schools Supt. Talks WEC Grant in Local Paper
  • Deadline Approaches for Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship
  • Workforce Agencies Release 2016 Reports

     

    Lebanon Schools Supt. Talks WEC Grant in Local Paper

    A state grant will allow Lebanon High School to provide more workforce training opportunities and certificates to students who wish to receive credit for internships.

    The school has been awarded $35,000 from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development to expand its internship program, which allows students to earn school credit as employees of local organizations and businesses.

    “With the refocus of career education pathways the state is now looking at those with more emphasis than in the past,” Taylor said. “First, the awarding of the grant is a recognition of the work we’ve done. Second, we’ve been working hard to come up with an employability skills certificate so that in addition to a diploma, students could get a state-recognized certification that they have accomplished all that is necessary to demonstrate skills that the workforce wants.”

    Click here to read the Lebanon Reporter article in its entirety.

    Next Teacher

    Deadline Approaches for Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship

    Students interested in becoming teachers have until December 31, 2016 to apply for the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship, which provides up to $7,500 each year of college for students who commit to teaching in Indiana for five years after earning their degrees. 

    Two hundred Next Generation Hoosier Educator scholarships will be awarded to students in a competitive process based on academic achievement, teacher nomination and an interview. Students selected to receive the scholarship will be notified by April 15, 2017. 

    Click here for the application and more information about the scholarship program.

    Workforce Agencies Release 2016 Reports

    The 2016 DWD Annual Training Report and the 2016 Indiana Career Council Annual Report are now available on the DWD's publications webpage. Reports highlight the past year's programming and initiatives for each respective agency.

    LINKS:

     

    Submit News

    Email your articles or story ideas relating to career readiness initiatives to news@dwd.in.gov 

    DWD