Ascend Indiana, the talent and workforce development initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), announced today the initial founding members of the Ascend Indiana Workforce Council.
Ascend Indiana launched the Workforce Council earlier this year as a membership-based collaborative that serves as the voice of industry to address Indiana’s persistent gap between available jobs and the Hoosiers prepared to fill them. The Council, comprising business leaders and human resources professionals, is charged with elevating market conditions and identifying emerging industry needs, barriers and successes.
The following companies, representing a broad spectrum of industry sectors, have appointed a representative to serve as a member of the Workforce Council’s steering committee, which is responsible for guiding the council’s vision, mission and strategy:
- CFA Staffing
- Community Health Network
- Eli Lilly and Company
- Henriott Group
- IU Health
- Parkview Health
- PNC Bank
- Roche Diagnostics
- The Heritage Group
“Over the years, we have connected more than 6,000 job seekers with Indiana employers, leading to careers for thousands of Hoosiers,” said Brad Rhorer, president and CEO of Ascend Indiana. “We are focused now – more than ever – on increasing our impact and have launched the Workforce Council to more acutely identify workforce challenges and develop solutions. Specifically, the Council will focus initially on identifying best practices for employers to engage with high school and post-secondary students on work-based learning opportunities and will help Ascend create pathways for both employer and student success as work-based learning grows in importance as a powerful talent pipeline strategy in Indiana.”
The Ascend Workforce Council will meet quarterly, with the first meeting scheduled for April 2025, and is expected to include up to 200 members once fully established.