New TPM Academy® Graduates Build Momentum for Employer-Led Talent Pipelines

(INDIANAPOLIS) — More Indiana employers and workforce leaders are putting employer-led talent strategies into action following the graduation of the second cohort of the TPM Academy® of Indiana, an initiative designed to strengthen talent pipelines and better align education and training with workforce needs.

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Workforce Excellence, in partnership with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, recently celebrated the cohort’s graduation during a ceremony featuring remarks from Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. In attendance were workforce, education, economic development and industry leaders from across the state.

The TPM Academy® of Indiana equips leaders with the nationally recognized Talent Pipeline Management® framework developed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. The framework helps employers take a leading role in building talent pipelines aligned with current and future workforce demands.

“Indiana’s future depends on strong partnerships between employers, educators, workforce organizations and economic development leaders,” offers Todd Hurst, senior vice president of strategic partnerships and impact with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. “The graduates of TPM Academy® are helping create those connections and are ensuring that students and workers have access to pathways that lead to meaningful careers while meeting the talent needs of Indiana employers.”

Graduates of the second TPM Academy® of Indiana cohort represent education, workforce development, healthcare, economic development, transportation, manufacturing and employer associations, including: Ascend Indiana, Eastern Indiana Works, EmployIndy, Empower Schools, enFocus, Evansville Regional Economic Partnership, FLANDERS, Franciscan Health, Greater Lafayette Commerce, Gribbins Specialty Group, Indiana Construction Roundtable Foundation, Indiana University Health, Indiana University South Bend, Indy Chamber, IndyGo, Invest Hamilton County, Ivy Tech Community College Sellersburg, Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, Metro Indy Central Indiana Area Health Education Center (MICI AHEC), NCCER, One Southern Indiana, River Ridge Development Authority, SABIC, Saint Joseph’s College at Marian University, South Bend Regional Chamber, South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership, Southern Indiana Works, Southwest Indiana Workforce Board, Region 4 Workforce Board, Tire Rack and Thomas P. Miller & Associates.

And participants are already applying TPM strategies in communities and industries across Indiana.

Several regional teams have launched or expanded healthcare employer collaboratives to identify workforce challenges, collect demand data and align training with critical occupations. Others are using TPM demand planning tools to address workforce shortages in advanced manufacturing, construction and transportation.

In northern Indiana, participants are applying the framework to support work-based learning and regional employer collaboratives. In Greater Lafayette, healthcare leaders are using TPM demand planning to identify workforce needs and strengthen partnerships between employers and education providers.

Survey feedback shows graduates are seeing stronger employer partnerships, increased employer engagement, improved alignment between employers and education providers, expanded industry collaborations and increased talent pipeline development. Participants identified employer collaboratives, talent demand planning and employer engagement strategies as the TPM practices most frequently being used.

“The success of our second TPM cohort demonstrates that there is both demand and momentum for this work in Indiana,” remarks Hurst. “Our graduates are leaving with more than knowledge. They are leaving with actionable strategies, regional partnerships and a commitment to building employer-led talent pipelines that will benefit Indiana’s workforce and economy for years to come.”

Hurst says the Institute for Workforce Excellence will continue working with graduates as they implement projects in their regions and industries.

The next phase will focus on supporting employer collaboratives, expanding talent demand planning, strengthening education-workforce alignment, sharing best practices and helping communities move from planning to measurable workforce outcomes.

“We believe as Indiana continues to position itself as a national leader in workforce development, the TPM Academy® of Indiana will remain a key avenue for connecting education and employment – and importantly, ensuring employers play a leading role in shaping the state’s talent pipeline.”

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The Indiana Chamber partners with 25,000 members and investors – representing over four million Hoosiers – to achieve the mission of “cultivating a world-class environment which provides economic opportunity and prosperity.”

The Institute for Workforce Excellence is a nonprofit subsidiary of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce dedicated to helping Hoosier businesses better navigate Indiana’s ever-expanding programming while offering resources and services to meet the workforce needs of tomorrow.