Improving K-12 outcomes for students of all races and income levels and greatly elevating the postsecondary attainment levels of Indiana’s adult workforce are the most significant challenges facing the state.

That’s because in the race to develop and establish a well-skilled, well-educated workforce for the jobs of today and tomorrow, Indiana is behind its competitor states. Currently, there are twice as many job openings in Indiana as there are jobseekers. And the workforce participation rate remains lower than before the pandemic started.

Two key statistics: A little more than half of all Hoosiers age 20 to 65 with only a high school diploma are employed. For those with no high school diploma, 60% are not in the workforce.

The Indiana Chamber has developed a brief white paper called “Indiana’s Leaking Talent Pipeline” (www.indianachamber.com/talentpipeline) that delves into this dilemma and what can and must be done to right the ship.

This is not about pointing fingers. The numbers are what they are. Our report is a sober-eyed assessment of where Indiana stands today and a call for collective action from all stakeholders – policymakers, business and community leaders, educators and Hoosier families – that’s driven by a sense of urgency that we can and must do better. We lay out a series of proactive policy proposals, critical investments and targeted interventions intended to garner bipartisan support for focusing our attention where it’s needed most.

There is a high level of alignment between the steps we believe should be taken to bolster the state’s overall talent landscape and the recent 30 recommendations from the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet. (Our staff members and Paul Perkins, our new board chairman from Amatrol, a provider of online career and technical education solutions, were part of the workgroups that suggested and vetted recommendations to the Cabinet.)

There are any number of actions lawmakers should strongly consider in the upcoming legislative session, but two are particularly vital in enabling young Hoosiers nearing the point of entering the workforce full time to realize their potential.

Indiana still has one of the lowest Free Application for Student Aid or FAFSA completion rates in the country. Legislation passed in 2022 ensures families receive information about FAFSA and its importance in accessing resources to pay for postsecondary education. But for the majority, the Indiana Chamber and others contend filling out the FAFSA form should be a requirement for high school graduation.

The 21st Century Scholars program is another area in which much needed process improvement and fulfillment needs to occur. The initiative provides free college tuition for low-income students who graduate from high school and who have completed a short list of preparatory activities.

It all begins, however, with a strong early foundation. The Indiana Chamber is pushing for increased public and private sector investment to help address the clear and distressing decline in learning among all young Hoosiers – particularly low-income and minority students – the last few years.

Later on in their education journey, dedicated career exploration courses (and related experiences) as expectations for all middle and high school students, as well as increased regional capacity for more work-based learning experiences would aid tremendously in the state growing its own talent.

Initiatives around retaining college graduates and providing employer incentives to increase the number of work-based learning opportunities are also high on the policy list for the Indiana Chamber.

With this effort and our top legislative priorities, the Indiana Chamber is seeking to help frame the important talent conversation that will take place in the 2023 General Assembly – and push for transformative actions that will have the most impact on the state.

Resources: Kevin Brinegar at (317) 264-6882 or email: kbrinegar@indianachamber.com; Jason Bearce at (317) 264-6880 or email: jbearce@indianachamber.com