More Indianapolis residents will have access to job training next year.
In September, United Way of Central Indiana awarded a total of $900,000 to five local community organizations to help get Hoosiers training and into jobs. The initiative, now in its second year, aims to make job training more accessible to Indianapolis residents.
“We want those residents and neighbors to be credentialed,” said Bernadette Monk, economic mobility director at United Way of Central Indiana. “We want them to get employed and be employed fairly quickly.”
The organization renewed grants with Dress for Success Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Urban League and gave new funding to the Indiana Plan, Fathers and Families Center and Public Advocates in Community re-Entry, also known as PACE.
Here’s more about the program and how to get involved.
What’s the program?
Last year, United Way started its Workforce Pathways Accelerator program with grants to Dress for Success Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Urban League.
Dress for Success, which provides professional clothes and employment resources to Indianapolis women, started its medical administrative assistant training program in January. The organization chose this pathway because it was relatively quick — just 12 weeks — and had lots of job openings.
“Many times, the programming that’s available just will not work for a single mom,” said Julie Petr, executive director for Dress for Success Indianapolis. “So the need was very, very high.”
As of October, about 40 women have gone through the training program. And in their second year, Dress for Success is thinking about switching it up and offering different classes in the health care field, though they’re still deciding on what those might be.
How will this benefit the community?
Corey Parchman, vice president of programs and partnerships at Fathers and Families Center, said United Way’s new funding comes at a time when job training is more important than ever.
“Our men are the canary in the coal mine, when it comes to the job market,” said Parchman. “When things slow down, they’re the first ones to feel it.”
Men enter Fathers and Families Center through the Strong Fathers program, a three-week class that teaches parenting and life skills. Participants also earn their forklift certificate.
After completing the class, fathers are eligible for all the other classes and services offered at the center, including free clothing and rent support.
Fathers and Families hopes to use the $200,000 from United Way to fund its construction training program, which helps fathers get certified in construction and connects them to union jobs after.
“We want to upskill our man as much as possible while they’re here,” said Parchman.
How can I sign up for training?
Each organization is offering a providing type of training. Here’s what each nonprofit is offering, the requirements to enroll and how to get in touch with them.
- Indianapolis Urban League
- The Urban League offers a variety of training programs to Marion County residents over 18 who are unemployed or underemployed. This includes commercial drivers license, HVAC, medical assistant, welding and IT training. For more information, call 317-693-7603 or email info@indplsul.org.
- Dress for Success Indianapolis
- Dress for Success is offering training in health care-related fields. The program is open to women 18 and over without felony records, because of health care employment requirements. You can learn more and apply for the program on the organization’s website. For more information, call 317-940-3737 or email indianapolis@dressforsuccess.org.
- Indiana Plan
- Indiana Plan is a program geared toward getting people into union construction apprenticeships. Participants earn OSHA 10, a basic construction safety certification. Eligible participants must be at least 18, pass a drug test, take a basic adult education test, have a high school diploma or GED and possess a valid driver’s license. Apply for the class online. Contact the office at 317-639-4661 or email info@indianaplan.org.
- Fathers and Families Center
- To be eligible for Fathers and Families Center construction training, you must be at least 16 years old and a father. All participants start with the three-week Strong Fathers class. Fill out the intake form online or call 317-921-5935.
- PACE
- PACE helps formerly incarcerated people find work and get support after getting out of prison. The organization offers construction training in partnership with the Indiana Construction Roundtable Foundation. Fill out the intake form on the organization’s website. All clients start by attending orientation every other Monday at 8:45 a.m. or 10:45 a.m. For more information, email pace@paceindy.org or call 317-612-6800.
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Claire Rafford covers higher education for Mirror Indy in partnership with Open Campus. Contact Claire by email claire.rafford@mirrorindy.org, on most social media @clairerafford or on Signal 317-759-0429.
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