News

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s announcement today that Northeast Indiana will receive $1.345 million in Skill UP Indiana! funding is a significant boost for a region that has been proactive in aligning education and training with the needs of employers, according to workforce and economic development planners.

The grant request for the money, which outlined manufacturing and skilled trades training and equipment initiatives, was prepared by the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and Northeast Indiana Works. The region’s proposal includes $402,400 in matching funds.

“We are delighted with the grant reward,” said Ryan Twiss, director of regional initiatives for the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. “For years, education and training providers in Northeast Indiana have rallied around the region’s Big Goal Collaborative, which aims to increase the percentage of residents with a degree or credential to 60 percent. Today’s announcement is a powerful example of how regional collaboration and alignment under common outcomes can have a major impact in our community.

“By helping create and align education and training programs, the Skill UP grant will go a long way toward accelerating Northeast Indiana’s pursuit of its Big Goal.”

Said Gary Gatman, executive vice president of strategic initiatives for Northeast Indiana Works: “This grant will allow us as a region to further develop and promote seamless career pathways for both secondary students during the day and adult learners in the evenings. There is a great regional demand currently for workers in manufacturing and the skilled trades, and that demand is expected to grow at least through the next decade.

“We are immensely grateful that the state has found merit in our plan to bolster the successful career pathway work that has already been accomplished in Northeast Indiana.”  

The grant for Northeast Indiana is part of $11 million in Skill UP funding awarded statewide. The Skill UP program is designed to support regional partnerships in developing career pathways systems, creating work and learn experiences, and integrating employability and technical skills development through sector-focused strategies aligned with regional business needs.

The regional plan was developed with the assistance of a broad spectrum of partners, including the region’s five Career and Technical Education (CTE) districts; the region’s five employer-driven sector partnerships; the Region 3 Education and Workforce Innovation Network (EWIN), which is a committee of the Region 3 Works Council; Local Economic Development Organizations (LEDOs); Ivy Tech Northeast; and WorkOne Northeast.

The grant will include equipment purchases and the development or upgrade of five CTE programs: a new HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning)/plumbing program at the FWCS Career Academy at Anthis; an upgraded HVAC program at the Impact Institute; an expanded CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining program at Heartland Career Center; a new welding program at the Area 18 Career and Technical Education Cooperative; and a new welding program at the Tucker Career and Technology Center.

Anticipated outcomes include 200 additional high school students participating in manufacturing or skilled trades programs annually, with 175 of those students earning at least one industry-recognized credential, and 275 adult workers participating in technical training during evening classes, with 234 of those securing industry-recognized credentials.

These outcomes will help fill a critical need in northeast Indiana, where it is estimated the
manufacturing and construction industries alone will need up to 26,000 new workers in the next decade.

CONTACT:  Rick Farrant, Director of Communications   OFFICE: 260.469.4306  CELL: 260.414.6249

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About Northeast Indiana Works: Northeast Indiana Works, the region’s workforce development board, provides public and private financial and employment resources to businesses and individuals for education and skills training to meet the needs of regional industries. The nonprofit sets policy for how public and private funds are utilized to support talent development. It also operates and staffs the 11 county-based WorkOne Northeast career centers in the region. Individuals and companies may access resources and services by visiting or calling WorkOne in their county. To find your local WorkOne, log on to www.NEINworks.org

About the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership: The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership was formed in 2006 to help build a globally competitive economy in Northeast Indiana. It is a public-private partnership focused on generating business leads and building regional capacity through product development and effective regional collaboration. In 2010, the Partnership launched Vision 2020 to bring the region together around five key areas for economic growth: 21st Century Talent, Competitive Business Climate, Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure and Quality of Life. Through its combined efforts in business development and capacity building, the Partnership supports its 11 member counties: Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley counties. For more information, visit www.neindiana.com.