WHY ECI
Workforce Development
EAST CENTRAL INDIANA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS & SERVICES
| East Central Indiana | Indiana | USA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Force Participation Rate (16 yr+) | 186,599 | 3,363,860 | 163,555,585 |
| Mean Commute Time (minutes) | 22.7 | 23.4 | 26.4 |
State Resources
Indiana Department of Workforce Development
The Indiana Department of Workforce Development serves the worker and the employer to ensure workplace success. DWD is committed to innovating and invigorating Indiana’s economic future.
Next Level Jobs provides free training for Hoosiers and reimbursements for Indiana employers for training employees in high-demand fields. Next Level Jobs is part of Governor Eric Holcomb’s Next Level Indiana agenda to continue the positive momentum of our state. Under his leadership, with support from the General Assembly, Indiana is taking the state’s workforce to the next level with a focus on the high-priority industries and in-demand, high-paying jobs driving Indiana’s 21st Century economy forward.
Your Next Step Indiana is a central resource hub, launched by the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, that allows Hoosiers to easily connect with tools to take their next step to education and training or to a new or better job. The program is part of Indiana’s efforts to reach its goal of having at least 60 percent of Hoosiers with quality education or training beyond high school by 2025. Education and training resources highlighted on the Your Next Step website include the state’s Next Level Jobs program, Learn More Indiana, You Can Go Back, Ivy Tech Community College, Vincennes University and 180 Skills. Hoosiers can also get connected to employment resources and supportive services, such as healthcare, childcare, and local assistance.
The State of Indiana’s 21st Century Talent Region designation was awarded to Indiana communities focused on working collaboratively to attract, develop and connect talent. Created by the Office of Career Connections and Talent, with support from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and CivicLab, the designation encouraged local governments, businesses, educational institutions, nonprofits, and economic and workforce development partners to take a comprehensive, regional approach to create better quality of place, developing and skilling up workforce, and connecting talent Hoosiers with businesses seeking to fill high-demand, high-wage jobs.
Spearheaded by the George and Frances Ball Foundation with support from Ball State University’s Office of Community Engagement, the ECI Talent Collaborative is made up of key stakeholders from nine ECI counties – Blackford, Delaware, Fayette, Grant, Henry, Jay, Randolph, Rush and Wayne.
Regional and Local Resources
Eastern Indiana Works (EIW) provides strategic leadership, oversight and content delivery to Economic Growth Region 6 (EGR6). EGR6 has been structured by the Governor of Indiana in accordance with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA). EIW helps those seeking employment with education, training, and support services that are needed to help connect employers with skilled workers. Eastern Indiana Works serves a 9-county area. These counties include: Blackford, Delaware, Fayette, Henry, Jay, Randolph, Rush, Union, and Wayne. For location sites, visit Eastern Indiana Works.
Workforce Programs
In East Central Indiana, the cultivation of a vibrant, sustainable, demand-driven workforce is a top priority. To achieve this goal, East Central Indiana has launched several initiatives that meet existing and future workforce demands:
ACT Certified Work Ready Communities (CWRC): ACT CWRC empowers counties and states with process, data and tools deployed in a common workforce development framework to drive economic growth by certifying counties as work ready communities when established goals are attained. In Indiana, Delaware, Fayette, Henry, Randolph, Rush and Wayne Counties are taking part in a county-level pilot to directly engage with the ACT CWRC effort. East Central Indiana counties are leading the ACT CWRC initiative in Indiana.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Centers: East Central Indiana High School Students can choose from multiple dual-credit career preparation programs at the New Castle, Muncie, Connersville, Richmond, Marion and Bluffton (serves Blackford and Jay County) Career Centers. Regardless of your workforce needs, East Central Indiana is preparing the next generation for your company.
Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG): East Central Indiana is a State leader in JAG, operating in nine schools region-wide. JAG is a state-based national non-profit organization dedicated to preventing dropouts among young people who are most at-risk. In more than three decades of operation, JAG has delivered consistent, compelling results – helping nearly three-quarters of a million young people stay in school through graduation, pursue postsecondary education and secure quality entry-level jobs leading to career advancement opportunities.
The Talent Ladder: Developed by Indiana Wesleyan University, The Talent Ladder provides training programs for up-skilling and professional development for working professionals who wish to improve their knowledge, competence, skill, and effectiveness, all with the potential of university credit toward degree completion for anyone successfully completing a training program.