Ascend Indiana announces youth apprenticeship awards to establish a network of postsecondary career pathways for students in Indiana

2021-10-01T11:22:49-04:00September 29, 2021|

INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 29, 2021) – Ascend Indiana, the talent and workforce development initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), has announced awards of $115,000 each to bolster three regional youth apprenticeship efforts in Indiana. Through generous support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Ascend is working alongside the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) at New America to provide awards and technical support through the Indiana Youth Apprenticeship Accelerator (Accelerator) initiative. PAYA is a national consortium of organizations supporting states and cities in their efforts to expand access to high-quality apprenticeship opportunities for high school-aged youth. Ascend will provide seed funding and technical assistance to Regional Opportunity Initiatives, Inc. (Indiana Uplands), OptIN/Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Foundation (Southern Indiana), and Hamilton County Center for Career Achievement (Hamilton County) to advance a high-quality and scalable youth apprenticeship system in the state. These awardees will [...]

Indiana helps expand youth apprenticeships statewide with new national funding partnership

2021-08-04T10:30:15-04:00June 3, 2021|

INDIANAPOLIS (June 3, 2021) – Ascend Indiana is expanding its efforts to provide high school students with new high-quality college and career apprenticeship pathways that impart the foundational skills, experiences, social capital and credentials they need to thrive in a rapidly changing economy. Ascend Indiana, the talent and workforce development initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), is spearheading a coordinated effort of statewide leaders to guide the expansion of youth apprenticeships in Indiana. To advance these efforts, Ascend has received $1 million in support from Bloomberg Philanthropies – part of a $2 million statewide investment through the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) – to support state and local partners across Indiana. This investment will strengthen and grow the regions in Indiana working to launch and scale youth apprenticeship programs that meet the needs of both Indiana youth [...]

Ascend Indiana, IEDC to build on the Indy Autonomous Challenge to attract and retain top tech talent

2021-05-25T12:48:15-04:00May 25, 2021|

INDIANAPOLIS (May 25, 2021) ─ Ascend Indiana and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) are partnering to help attract and retain participants in the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) in order to meet a growing need for tech talent in the state’s advanced industries. More than 500 students from 40 universities in 14 U.S. states and 11 countries, including two from Indiana, signed up to compete in the IAC. The IAC is the world’s first head-to-head, high-speed autonomous race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, taking place on Oct. 23, 2021. The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership’s (CICP) energy technology initiative Energy Systems Network, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are organizing the competition, which has a $1.5 million prize purse and has attracted the best and brightest university students and advisors from around the world. The IAC event enables participants to engage in [...]

EmployIndy, Ascend Indiana celebrate inaugural cohort of Modern Apprenticeship program at MAP Signing Day

2021-05-19T21:42:51-04:00May 15, 2021|

INDIANAPOLIS (May 15, 2021) – This morning at Ben Davis High School, 26 Central Indiana high school sophomores signed the Modern Apprenticeship certificate of acceptance to work as apprentices for 16 local employer partners*, piloting the first-ever cohort of EmployIndy’s Central Indiana youth apprenticeship program, Modern Apprenticeship. Of the 100+ students that expressed interest, these 26 apprentices were chosen among their peers to participate in Modern Apprenticeship, a two- to three-year paid experience launched in coordination with Ascend Indiana in Fall 2020. EmployIndy, Marion County’s workforce development board, and Ascend Indiana, the talent and workforce development initiative of Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), actively support the apprentices, employers, and general programmatic outcomes for Modern Apprenticeship. For the apprentices, the journey will officially kick off this summer as they attend a bootcamp to develop their employability skills and start their jobs [...]

IIB: A New Model is Helping to Develop Workforce Development Strategies to Fill Talent Gaps

2021-04-05T16:44:54-04:00February 17, 2021|

In a recent Inside INdiana Business Perspectives article Jason Kloth, president and CEO of Ascend Indiana, and Claire Fiddian-Green, president and CEO of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, discuss a 21st century talent model that can be replicated by employers to help fill a shortage of in-demand skilled workers. The free online Talent Pipeline Replication Toolkit was developed by Ascend Indiana and funded by the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. [READ MORE] (Sources: Inside INdiana Business, Ascend Indiana)  

IIB: EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana Launch Modern Apprenticeship

2021-04-05T16:50:33-04:00February 4, 2021|

On a recent episode of Inside INdiana Business, EmployIndy Chief Strategy Officer Marie Mackintosh and Indianapolis Airport Authority Executive Director Mario Rodriguez spoke with Gerry Dick about an exciting opportunity for high school students to prepare for the workforce thanks to a new apprenticeship model launched by EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana. The organizations have started Modern Apprenticeship, a paid work-based learning experience that helps students earn a high school diploma, college credits and professional work experience. [WATCH] Read press release. [READ MORE]

Ascend Indiana and EmployIndy launch modern apprenticeship program for high school students in high-demand fields

2021-04-05T16:44:35-04:00October 27, 2020|

INDIANAPOLIS (Oct. 27, 2020) – EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana today launched a new apprenticeship model for Indianapolis high school students to prepare them for the future in high-demand industries. Modern Apprenticeship (MAP) is a paid two- to three-year work-based learning experience with local employers, where students will emerge with a high school diploma, college credits, relevant credentials and professional experience. This pilot apprenticeship program starts during an Indianapolis student’s junior year of high school. Up to 30 students from five Indianapolis-area township school districts and charter schools* will be hired by one of 16 employers* representing a variety of growing, high-demand industries including information technology, financial services, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. Additional apprenticeship opportunities are also available in business operations including human resources, sales and marketing. Modern Apprenticeship enables high school students to attain soft skills, technical skills and relevant [...]

IIB: Ascend Indiana and EmployIndy launch Rapid Re-Employment Response

2021-04-05T16:46:08-04:00August 31, 2020|

More than 120,000 residents in Marion County filed for unemployment between March and June due to COVID-19, but a new resource launched by EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana provides a central location for those dislocated workers to connect with available jobs or training opportunities. Job seekers will log into an online technology platform called the Ascend Network. Then, the job seeker will follow a streamlined process to connect with needed career services and get individualized support to help them find meaningful employment or training. On a recent edition of Inside INdiana Business, Gerry Dick interviewed Ascend Indiana President and CEO Jason Kloth, EmployIndy President and CEO Angela Carr-Klitzsch and Indianapolis Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Angela Smith-Jones about how the program works.[WATCH] (Source: Inside INdiana Business)

Rapid Re-Employment Response offers coordinated resources to assist dislocated workers in Marion County

2021-04-05T16:44:35-04:00August 25, 2020|

[WATCH] On a recent edition of Inside INdiana Business, Gerry Dick interviewed Ascend Indiana President and CEO Jason Kloth, EmployIndy President and CEO Angela Carr-Klitzsch and Indianapolis Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Angela Smith-Jones about the Rapid Re-Employment Response free online tool. INDIANAPOLIS (August 25, 2020) – More than 120,000 residents in Marion County filed for unemployment between March and June due to COVID-19, but a new resource launching today by EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana provides a central location for those dislocated workers to connect with available jobs or training opportunities. Job seekers will log into an online technology platform called the Ascend Network. Then, the job seeker will follow a streamlined process to connect with needed career services and get individualized support to help them find meaningful employment or training. The Rapid Re-Employment Response plan is a coordinated effort [...]

IIB: College Graduates Have a Path Forward During Pandemic

2021-04-05T16:46:18-04:00July 29, 2020|

In a recent Perspectives article for Inside INdiana Business, Jason Kloth, president and CEO for Ascend Indiana, says "yes" there are definitely available jobs out there for recent college grads during the pandemic, and he presents a plan for pursuing those opportunities. [READ MORE] (Sources: Inside INdiana Business, Ascend Indiana)

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