Regional Updates :: Winter 2008
About this Newsletter
Welcome to the fifth issue of our email newsletter profiling activities on a regional basis taking place within Indiana's workforce development system.
As you know, the state of Indiana is divided into eleven workforce development regions. These new regions went into effect along with many other changes to the workforce delivery system on July 1, 2006.
This newsletter is designed to better inform policy makers, workforce and economic development officials and others of various workforce development activities and initiatives that took place within each region during the fourth quarter of 2007.
Click on region for local information
Region 1 Counties: Jasper, Lake, La Porte, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, Starke
- Training Acceleration Grants
Five grants totaling $521,047 were awarded that will train 219 incumbent workers in instrumentation and electrical apprenticeships, advanced manufacturing, Microsoft certifications, customized certificates and Cisco certifications.
- Trade Adjustment Assistance
Former employees from the Federal Mogul Corporation's Wiper Division in Michigan City are receiving services under the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) programs. Former employees at the firm are eligible for a variety of services that include occupational training, income support, relocation allowances, job search allowances, and a health coverage tax credit.
- Moving Forward Grants
Three grants were awarded to higher education institutions in the region to fund systemic change in career and technical education.
IU Northwest received two grants, one for $67,200 and another for $47,960, and Ivy Tech Community College in Gary received a $91,665 grant. The grants are being funded through the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
Region 2 Counties: Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, Marshall, St. Joseph
- Training Acceleration Grants
Nine grants of $307,601 were awarded to companies in Economic Growth Region 2. The grants will result in the training of 319 incumbent workers in Autodesk Civil 3D certificates, Microsoft certifications, advanced manufacturing and information technology certifications, industrial electrical maintenance apprenticeships, advanced cardiac life support training, technical certificates and Cisco certifications.
- Trade Adjustment Assistance
Former employees from Krizman International, Inc. in Mishawaka are receiving services under the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) programs. The former employees at the firm are eligible for a variety of services that include occupational training, income support, relocation allowances, job search allowances, and a health coverage tax credit.
- Moving Forward Grants
Three grants were awarded to education institutions in the region to fund systemic change in career and technical education. Warsaw Community Schools received a $27,300 grant, Wawasee Community School Corporation received a $3,271 grant and Ivy Tech Community College in South Bend received a grant for $90,970. The grants are being funded through the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
- Forum on the Future
Individuals and communities in northern Indiana no longer can use a traditional linear model to adapt to the global structural changes that are reverberating throughout work-forces worldwide, futurist Ed Barlow told the Northern Indiana Workforce Board's Forum on the Future in December.
How should individuals and communities respond while in the midst of phenomenal structural changes? "The thinking typically goes, 'Let's prioritize these eight [structural] things, take one this year, one next year, and so on for eight years. That doesn't work, folks," Barlow said, "because these are all happening at the same time. We are in a non-linear world of incredible structural change and we still want to use linear approaches to try to figure out and respond."
Region 3 Counties: Adams, Allen, De Kalb, Grant, Huntington, Lagrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, Whitley
- Training Acceleration Grants
Ten grants were awarded to companies in Economic Growth Region 3 totaling $621,277. The rants will result in the training of 451 incumbent workers in information technology and advanced manufacturing certifications, Microsoft certifications, career development certifications, apprenticeships, and associate degrees.
- Trade Adjustment Assistance
Former employees of TMP Directional Marketing, LLC's Graphics Division in Fort Wayne are receiving services under the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) programs. The former employees at the firm are eligible for a variety of services that include occupational training, income support, relocation allowances, job search allowances, and a health coverage tax credit.
Region 4 Counties: Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Howard, Miami, Montgomery, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Warren, White
- Training Acceleration Grants
Two Training Acceleration Grants were awarded to companies in Economic Growth Region 4 totaling $9,186. The grants will train 12 incumbent workers in career development certificates.
- Moving Forward Grants
Six educational institutions received grants to fund new programming leading to long-lasting systemic change in career and technical education.
At the post-secondary level, Ivy Tech Community College in Lafayette received $92,992 and Ivy Tech Community College in Kokomo received a $62,000 grant. The grants are being funded through the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
- WIRED Grant
A new effort in North Central Indiana will boost the number of Hoosiers receiving training in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
The regional listing was modeled on the statewide "Hoosier Hot 50 Jobs, and based on projected employment growth, total job openings, and wage factors. Jobs that make the listing have high growth factors in Indiana's Occupational Projections 2004-2014 and high wages according to the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, both produced by Indiana's Department of Workforce Development.
Ivy Tech Community College has received a $3.1 million grant from the states' North Central Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) initiative, a 14-county partnership of educators, workforce and economic development officials and other leaders working to rebuild the region's economy. The new program is expected to train an estimated 44,000 people in North Central Indiana over the next five years.
Region 5 Counties: Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Morgan, Shelby
- Training Acceleration Grants
Nine training grants were awarded to firms in Economic Growth Region 5 totaling $924,278. The Training Acceleration Grants will train 383 incumbent workers in advanced manufacturing certifications, industrial apprenticeships, associate degrees, college credit classes, LPN and RN, and IT certifications.
- YouthBuild Indy Initiative
The Indianapolis Private Industry Council has received a federal grant of nearly $550,000 to fund an initiative that will benefit high school dropouts. YouthBuild Indy is expected to serve 60 individuals over two years.
Participants will be able to take classes to receive high school or General Educational Development diplomas. Participants will also learn construction skills and about occupations in other industries that are in high demand in Central Indiana.
- Moving Forward Grants
Five educational institutions received grants to fund new programming leading to long-lasting systemic change in career and technical education.
At the secondary level, MSD Lawrence Township Schools received $142,000, Blue River Career Programs in Shelby County received a $54,819 grant, MSD Warren Township received $48,129 and Area 31 Career Center in Marion County received $14,360.
At the post-secondary level Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) received a grant for $96,881. The grants are being funded through the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
- New Web site connects job seekers with openings.
A new Web site that connects job seekers with job openings and businesses with skilled workers has been launched by the Indianapolis Private Industry Council, which oversees the operation of the five WorkOne centers in Marion County. The URL is http://www.workoneindy.com/
- New web site promotes life sciences to students
BioWorksU.com , an interactive Web site that features games, experiments and other experiences, was launched by the Indianapolis Private Industry Council in October. The web site is designed to introduce young people from fourth grade to young adulthood to exciting careers in the high-demand life sciences industry.
The Web site is the first in the country to offer games and activities to entice young people to consider high-demand careers in the life sciences. It is set in a virtual university to emphasize that higher education is needed to achieve the skilled occupations featured on the site and to reward the student with a "degree" when he or she has accumulated enough game credits. The site takes the student through a series of "buildings," "laboratories" and other resources to learn about careers, the work that each entails and the education needed to achieve them.
Region 6 Counties: Blackford, Delaware, Fayette, Henry, Jay, Randolph, Rush, Union, Wayne
- Training Acceleration Grants
One Training Acceleration Grant was awarded to a firm in Economic Growth Region 6. The grant totaled $42,720 and will train 15 incumbent workers in manufacturing industrial technology apprenticeships and mechanical engineering technologist associate degrees.
- Moving Forward Grants
Three educational institutions received grants to fund new programming leading to long-lasting systemic change in career and technical education.
New Castle Community Corporation received $70,725 and Ivy Tech Community College's Muncie and Richmond campuses received a grant for $100,000. The grants are being funded through the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
- GrowthStart Project
Utilizing a grant from the state's Strategic Skills Initiative, region six has begun the GrowthStart Project. The project will support the growth of new ventures in agri-business and small business, develop high school students as future entrepreneurs and work with MBA students to launch new business ventures.
- Rural Entrepreneurship Conference
New venture opportunities emerging in rural Indiana for entrepreneurs in the food and agriculture industry were showcased at a Rural Entrepreneurship Conference in December at Ball State University.
The conference provided attendees with information on how to research, plan and fund new businesses in one of the most innovative and growing sectors of our global economy. This conference was part of the StartUp Indiana project, and sponsored by the Eastern Indiana Regional Workforce Board with support from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), and Ball State and Purdue Universities. StartUp Indiana is part of the Strategic Skills Initiative. For conference highlights, photos and more information, visit http://www.startupindiana.com/ .
Region 7 Counties: Clay, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion, Vigo
- Trade Adjustment Assistance
Four training grants were awarded to firm in the region. The grants total $188,056 and will train 65 incumbent workers in industrial certifications, pre-apprenticeships, journey level upgrades, and IT certifications.
- Moving Forward Grants
Two educational institutions received grants to fund new programming leading to long-lasting systemic change in career and technical education.
Area 30 Career Center in Greencastle received $55,844 and Vigo Community School Corporation received $31,070. The grants are being funded through the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
Region 8 Counties: Brown, Daviess, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen
- Learning and Employment Center launched at Crane
The Department of Workforce Development has joined with several other organization to help launch a new center to help train disabled veterans. The new center, known as the Crane Learning and Employment Center for Veterans will provide veterans with on-the-job training and educational opportunities through Ivy Tech Community College and Vincennes University.
Region 9 Counties: Bartholomew, Dearborn, Decatur, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley, Switzerland
Training Acceleration Grants
Four training grants were awarded to firms in Economic Growth Region 9 totaling $435,172. The grants will train 190 incumbent workers in management supervisory institute certifications and certificates of applied learning in print reading and geometric dimensioning and tolerance.
- Moving Forward Grants
Two educational institutions received grants to fund new programming leading to long-lasting systemic change in career and technical education.
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation received $66,175 and Whitewater Technical Career Center received a grant of $60,000. The grants are being funded through the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
- Lilly Endowment Grants
Lilly Endowment Inc. will provide $38 million in grants to two Bartholomew County organizations to fund educational programs and training in the areas of advanced manufacturing, health care services and hospitality and tourism for 10 counties in Southeast Indiana. Proceeds of the Lilly Endowment grants will build on earlier workforce development grants received from the state.
Region 10 Counties: Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, Washington
- Moving Forward Grants
Two educational institutions received grants to fund new programming leading to long-lasting systemic change in career and technical education.
Prosser School of Technology in Floyd County received a $68,320 grant and Ivy Tech Community College in Sellersburg received a grant for $30,102. The grants are being funded through the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
Region 11 Counties: Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, Warrick
- Training Acceleration Grants
Six training grants were awarded to firms in the region totaling $563,430. The grants will train 273 incumbent workers in customized certificates, project management certificates, journey level upgrades, and career development certificates.
- Moving Forward Grants
Vincennes University received two grants -- $68,332 and $81,898 -- to fund new programming leading to long-lasting systemic change in career and technical education.
The grants are being funded through the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
- WorkOne Southwest Opens Satellite Offices
WorkOne Southwest announced the opening of three satellite offices in Boonville, Rockport and Mt. Vernon. The offices will assist job seekers and businesses with employment services and training. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Friday, November 9, 2007 at the Mt. Vernon WorkOne office, 306 Kimball St.
- How do I find out the status of my unemployment check?
- How do I file for unemployment?
- Where can I find unemployment insurance information for employers?
- Do I need to post labor posters in the work place if I only have One (1) employee?
- What kind of resources are available for a job seeker?
- Where can I find more information about the Debit Card Program?
- Where can I find more information about the Major Opportunities program?
- Where can I find more information about SUTA Dumping?
