EmployIndy: Guiding Regional Apprenticeship Expansion

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EmployIndy is guiding apprenticeship expansion in non-traditional occupations in Marion County and the greater Indianapolis Region. Through the EmployIndy Apprenticeship Hub project, AIR is providing strategic planning and technical assistance to advance EmployIndy’s strategic apprenticeship goals. 

EmployIndy's strategic goals include:

• Building and launching an Apprenticeship Hub for the Indianapolis Region, which involves: 1) providing technical assistance to partners and potential apprenticeship sponsors; 2) serving as an apprenticeship program sponsor; 3) coordinating the efforts of the network of partners; and 4) providing access to funding information for apprenticeship programs.
• Prioritizing partnerships where resources are distributed with a focus on creating more equitable access and outcomes for Marion County residents in apprenticeship programs.
• Building apprenticeship programs in non-traditional industries and occupations.
   

The Regional Apprenticeship Hub

The Regional Apprenticeship Hub will convene and coordinate the apprenticeship efforts of partners in the region. The Hub will enable an effective and collaborative apprenticeship ecosystem where partners leverage each other to:

• Recruit additional employers, including small businesses, as apprenticeship employers;
• Expand apprenticeship occupations to include more non-traditional job roles in pathways such as business operations, information technology, and health care;
• Align talent pipeline development efforts related to apprenticeship through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and other federal and state investments in the region;
• Engage new and underrepresented workers and organizations in apprenticeship;
• Create diversity outreach strategies that are culturally and gender competent; and
• Implement systems improvements to track and measure progress concerning diversity and equity.

Additionally, through the Regional Apprenticeship Hub, technical assistance will be provided to intermediaries and program sponsors to:

• Design new apprenticeship standards and related instruction as needed;
• Enable systems to effectively track and provide case management to apprentices; and
• Ease employers’ tracking and reporting processes.
   

Building on EmployIndy's Success

AIR is facilitating a process with EmployIndy to work with key staff to develop an actionable plan to build upon EmployIndy’s success and leadership of the Modern Apprenticeship Program pilot and other career-connected learning activities to also serve the role of a Regional Apprenticeship Hub. This involves uniting existing partners, assets, and ideas, identifying new strategies, and clearly outlining a path forward. This process involves four stages:

Stage 1: Plan the Work – The first step was to lay the operational groundwork and agree upon a strategic action plan format. 

Stage 2: Examine and Understand – This second stage established an understanding of the current state of apprenticeship efforts within EmployIndy and the region, vetted and summarized employer and individual needs as well as regional apprenticeship partner programs and plans.

Stage 3: Ideate and Filter – Based on the current state assessment, the AIR team conducted virtual planning sessions with the EmployIndy team, and an in-person ideation working session with partners to draft, refine and document strategies, goals, and tactics, for advancing the Hub.

Stage 4: Select and Move to Action – AIR continues to work with the EmployIndy team to establish a Regional Hub Strategic Action Plan by facilitating the refinement of goals, selection of activities and tasks, alignment with existing efforts, and preparing to launch. Ongoing work includes promotion and fundraising for the implementation and sustainability of the Hub.

EmployIndy is growing its existing apprenticeship programs and has joined the AIR | CompTIA Apprenticeships for Tech network to leverage tools and resources for continued program innovation and success. EmployIndy is advancing a Regional Apprenticeship Hub and is working with AIR on promotion, initial implementation, identification of funding needed for full implementation, and sustainability. AIR and EmployIndy will partner to fundraise for and execute the launch and implementation of the Regional Apprenticeship Hub.