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About Us

Paving the Way for the Workforce of the Future

Brad Rhorer, Ascend Indiana President and CEO

About Ascend Indiana

As Indiana’s economy grows in industries like life sciences, tech, and renewable energy, Ascend Indiana ensures Hoosiers are ready to seize new opportunities. By partnering with educators, industry leaders, and public-sector organizations, Ascend aligns resources to bridge the gap between workforce potential and employer needs.

Through these strategic partnerships, Ascend equips Indiana’s workforce with the skills to succeed, shaping careers and fueling the state’s economic growth. From the classroom to the boardroom, Ascend is building a stronger, more dynamic Indiana.

Our Vision

Our Mission

All Hoosiers and employers thrive in Indiana’s evolving economy, empowered and equipped for success.

Our Mission

Our Vision

Empowering Indiana’s modern workforce ecosystem. 

Supporting Employers, Equipping Talent

Guiding Insights

Our research provides valuable insights on Indiana’s workforce and market trends, helping job seekers, employers, educators, and other stakeholders stay informed.

Talent Matching

Our proprietary job-matching platform connects job seekers with careers, internships, and work-based learning opportunities offered by Indiana employers.

Indiana Expertise

Our partnerships with statewide leaders give us unprecedented insights into Indiana’s workforce, employers, and the talent emerging from local educational institutions.

Workforce Innovation

Our data insights and partnerships fuel innovative ideas and solutions, making us a trusted resource for addressing complex workforce challenges.
Our Organization

Central Indiana Corporate Partnership

Ascend is an initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), which fosters growth and innovation in Indiana’s economy, uniting leaders from the state’s corporations, foundations, and universities to promote collaboration. CICP launched Ascend Indiana in 2016 to strengthen the talent pipeline for key sectors, including advanced manufacturing, agbiosciences, life sciences, and technology.

In partnership with CICP’s sector initiatives, Ascend supports talent development efforts to drive growth across these industries while also collaborating with statewide organizations to support sectors like banking, finance, and healthcare.

Partner With Us

Our mission makes an impact because of our partners. If you’re an employer, public-sector organization, or educational institution committed to strengthening the workforce, we want to partner with you.

Let’s Work Together

Central Intermediaries

Aspire Johnson County

Supports work-based learning by linking schools and more than 165 local employers to create hands-on opportunities that help students explore and pursue regional career pathways.
Counties Served: Johnson
Supporting: Employers, Schools
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East Central Educational Service Center (ECESC)

Provides regional coordination, tools, and training to help schools implement consistent and high-quality work-based learning programs.
Counties Served: Bartholomew, Decatur, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Hancock, Henry, Johnson, Madison, Randolph, Rush, Shelby, Union, Wayne
Supporting: Employers
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Eastern Indiana Works (EIW)

Engages employers, offers workforce insights, and partners with schools to expand student access to work-based learning experiences.
Counties Served: Blackford, Delaware, Fayette, Henry, Jay, Randolph, Rush, Union, Wayne
Supporting: Employers
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EmployIndy

Develops career-connected learning systems in Marion County by coordinating employer engagement, work-based learning programming, and youth career pathways.
Counties Served: Marion
Supporting: Employers, Schools
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Greater Muncie Chamber of Commerce

Serves as a bridge between businesses and schools to promote internships, employer partnerships, and hands-on learning opportunities.
Counties Served: Delaware
Supporting: Employers, Schools
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Hendricks College Network (HCN)

Connects schools, employers, and community partners—facilitating ongoing collaborations, coordinating a range of employer involvement opportunities, and providing support to help schools track and manage work-based learning experiences.
Counties Served: Hendricks
Supporting: Employers, Schools
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Invested

Works with employers and schools to connect schools and students to employers offering high-quality work-based learning experiences.
Counties Served: Hamilton
Supporting: Employers, Schools
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Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce

Leads countywide coordination of work-based learning by unifying schools, employers, and partners to streamline student placements and employer onboarding.
Counties Served: Wayne
Supporting: Employers, Schools
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Southern Intermediaries

Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce

Connects local employers with schools to encourage internships, career exploration, and collaborative work-based learning initiatives.
Counties Served: Monroe
Supporting: Employers
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Hub 19

Connects high school students and schools with local employers through career exploration, internships, and hands-on work-based learning experiences.
Counties Served: Dubois
Supporting: Employers, Schools
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Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI)

Helps schools and employers understand evolving requirements, building partner capacity, fostering regional connections, and coordinating programs that offer students meaningful career-aligned experiences.
Counties Served: Brown, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen, Washington
Supporting: Employers, Schools
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Southern Indiana Education Center (SIEC)

Supports educators through training, resources, and collaboration structures that help schools and employers organize work-based learning.
Counties Served: Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, Warrick
Supporting: Employers, Schools
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Southern Indiana Works (SIW, Workforce Region 10)

Engages employers and develops talent initiatives that connect students to meaningful work experiences aligned with regional workforce needs.
Counties Served: Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, Washington
Supporting: Employers
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Southwest Indiana Workforce Board (SWIN)

Partners with businesses and schools to expand student access to industry-aligned work-based learning programs.
Counties Served: Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, Warrick
Supporting: Employers
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Northern Intermediaries

Center of Workforce Innovations (CWI)

Coordinates employer relationships, talent programs, and school partnerships to strengthen work-based learning throughout Northwest Indiana.
Counties Served: Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, Starke
Supporting: Employers, Schools
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Grow Allen

Supports work-based learning by coordinating student internships and work-based tours, connecting schools with local businesses, and partnering with community organizations to expand training pathways while collaboratively helping partners strengthen their work-based learning efforts.
Counties Served: Allen
Supporting: Employers, Schools
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Horizon Education Alliance (HEA)

Partners with schools and employers to provide high school students with career exploration and hands-on work-based learning opportunities.
Counties Served: Elkhart
Supporting: Employers, Schools
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Northeast Indiana Workforce Board (NEINW)

Supports regional talent pipelines by linking businesses with schools and promoting work-based learning as part of workforce development.
Counties Served: Adams, Allen, Grant, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, Whitley
Supporting: Employers
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Region 8 Education Service Center of Northeast Indiana (R8ESC)

Provides training, coordination, data support, and shared tools to help schools implement and scale consistent work-based learning practices across the region.
Counties Served: Adams, Allen, Blackford, DeKalb, Grant, Huntington, Jay, Kosciusko, Madison, Miami, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, Whitley
Supporting: Schools
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South Bend Regional Chamber

Coordinates employer partnerships, student programming, and large-scale work-based learning initiatives to connect youth with regional career pathways.
Counties Served: St. Joseph
Supporting: Employers, Schools
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Connect

Workforce Council

Statewide network of employers solving workforce challenges

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Explore thousands of Indiana jobs

Contact

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Resources

Intermediaries

Find a regional partner to help you create work-based learning opportunities

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Explore thousands of Indiana jobs

Choose Indiana

Learn why Indiana is the place to grow businesses and careers

Research

Indiana workforce data and insights

Success Stories

See how real change takes shape

News

Workforce insights that inspire and educate

Who We Are

What We Do

Employers
Workforce Council
Choose Indiana
Research
Success Stories
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