Apprenticeship program launches for Indy HS students
INDIANAPOLIS (Inside INdiana Business) – EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana are launching a pilot apprenticeship program for high school students in Indianapolis to prepare them for high-demand industries. The organizations say Modern Apprenticeship is a paid, two- to three-year work-based learning program with local employers for students in their junior year of high school.
Ascend Indiana says participating students can earn a high school diploma, college credits, credentials and professional experience.
Up to 30 students from five Indianapolis-area school districts and charter schools will be hired by one of 16 employers. Ascend Indiana says employers come from a diverse group of in-demand industries such as information technology, advanced manufacturing and healthcare.
“As employers’ demand for highly skilled talent continues to grow in our community, we must establish a system of support to close the equity gap for Indianapolis students,” said Marie Mackintosh, chief strategy officer for EmployIndy. “We have partnered with regional and national career readiness initiatives to pilot a program that provides students with quality, career-relevant experiences combined with classroom learning that will prepare young people for a successful transition to college and jobs of the future.”
During the first two years of the apprenticeship, the partners say students will spend their time both in school and working. In the third year, apprentices will focus on their job while finishing the requirements for their industry-recognized credentials.
Ascend Indiana says available occupations through the program include junior coder, quality assurance tech, IT support tech, medical assistant, billing and coding specialist, staff accountant, maintenance technician and project coordinator. Students in the program will earn an average of $13 per hour.
“By providing work-based learning opportunities to high school students from diverse backgrounds, Indianapolis will be able to prepare a strong workforce aligned with 21st-century employer demand,” said Jason Kloth, president of Ascend Indiana. “In addition, having work experience will be especially critical for students as the economy reshapes following COVID-19 and the job market becomes even more competitive.”
Participating Indianapolis-area township school districts and charter schools include Indianapolis Public Schools, Phalen Leadership Academy, Pike High School, Washington Township and Victory College Prep.
Participating Employers include Ascend Indiana, Ascension St. Vincent, the city of Indianapolis, EmployIndy, Katz Sapper & Miller, iLAB, Indianapolis Airport Authority, Indianapolis Public Schools, Indy Chamber, Ivy Tech Community College, OneAmerica, Roche Diagnostics, Skillful Indiana, TechPoint, The Heritage Group and UnitedHealthcare.
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