Three industries awarded grants for new statewide apprenticeship system

An Indiana foundation awarded grants to create a new apprenticeship system across the state. The apprenticeships, which are inspired by a system in Switzerland, will first be available to students interested in health care, life sciences and manufacturing.

Industry leaders from Indiana have visited Switzerland multiple times to learn how employers and schools there work together to train students. They then formed employer collectives — called talent associations — that identify skills for apprentices.

The three talent associations received two-year grants between $200,000 and $250,000 each from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. The associations must also secure matching funds from employers within their industries. The money will allow them to identify competencies in their respective areas and work with employers to develop training for students.

“We really need to launch these talent associations to help make it easier for employers of all sizes — small, medium and large — to hire apprentices and feel like that’s a successful use of their resources,” said Fairbanks Foundation President and CEO Claire Fiddian-Green.

She added that the new apprenticeship system will create a pathway for students to learn about different careers and gain relevant skills before leaving high school.

“I think what we are trying to do is build a complementary pathway to the existing high-quality college pathway that we have already in the state of Indiana and in our country for those students who might learn better by being more hands-on,” she said. “This is a way to get hands-on experience, to learn what is it actually like to work, let’s say in manufacturing or in the health care sector or in the life sciences and in the other areas which we’re expanding into.”

The new apprenticeship pathways will also benefit the state economically.

“We did some analysis to look at what are projected talent needs within our state and what are the drivers of our economy,” Fiddian-Green said. “Not surprisingly, those things include health care, manufacturing, life sciences and banking.”

The talent associations will work with employers to determine which positions are in demand and develop training for students. The training will be specialized based on high-demand jobs and employers’ needs.

“A health care apprentice will have more biology and anatomy than, let’s say, a financial services apprentice,” Fiddian-Green said.
 

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In addition to the grants for talent associations, the Fairbanks Foundation also awarded $425,000 to the Center on the Economics and Management of Education and Training Systems (CEMETS). CEMETS iLAB Indiana is the coalition of nearly 200 business leaders, educators and government officials that joined together to plan for and develop the new apprenticeship system.

Fiddian-Green said other industries are interested in the new apprenticeship system. She said banking will be the next industry to receive a grant. Industry leaders in information technology, entertainment sports and hospitality, electronics, and construction are currently planning trips to Switzerland to learn more.

The apprenticeships will be available to students in 11th and 12th grade. Apprenticeships in the fields that have already been awarded grants will likely be ready for students in the fall of 2026.

Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation provides funding for initiatives at WFYI / WBAA.

Kirsten is Indiana Public Broadcasting's education reporter. Contact her at kadair@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @kirsten_adair.