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Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway

Request for Proposal

Connecting K-12 school districts and employers for the successful implementation of INCAP programs

The Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway (INCAP) is a new professional education and training pathway that combines classroom education with on-the-job training to prepare high school students for careers while simultaneously developing a new talent pipeline for employers seeking to address workforce needs.

Grant Opportunity

Through a $1.2 million grant from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation to Ascend Indiana, we are seeking up to 12 regionally based organizations interested in serving as INCAP intermediaries. Each selected intermediary will be awarded $100,000 total in two phases.

Grantee Role

Intermediaries will act as a bridge between Industry Talent Associations and participating schools and students. They will establish relationships with schools, help prepare students to apply for and start their apprenticeship program, and support student success during program participation, among other responsibilities.

Application Process

Review Request for Proposal

Those interested in learning more about becoming an INCAP intermediary can find the RFP details below.

View RFP

(Revised July 31, 2025)

Final Proposals

Final proposals are due Friday, August 15, from those organizations invited to submit.

Submit Final Proposal

Virtual

Q&A Webinar

A virtual Q&A webinar was held on July 15, which included an overview of the RFP and proposal instructions as well as responses to submitted questions. For those unable to attend the webinar, the presentation, recording, and answers to questions are available below. 

Q&A Presentation
Watch the Webinar
List of Q&As

Evaluation and Award

01

Selection Process

The evaluation of proposals will be overseen by the CEMETS iLab Indiana Governing Committee, in partnership with an Advisory Committee, representing members from industry talent associations, K-12 schools, and philanthropy.

02

Award Announcement

The iLab Governing Committee will announce awardees the week of October 6th. All applicants will be informed of their award status via email.

03

First Award

Selected intermediaries will be awarded $15,000 following the notice of the award to support planning activities from October to December 2025.

04

Second Award

The selected intermediaries will be awarded the remaining $85,000 in January 2026 to begin implementation activities outlined in their implementation plan.

TimeLine

RFP Launch

June 30, 2025

Virtual Q&A Webinar

July 15, 2025

Deadline for Questions

July 15, 2025

Response to Questions Posted

July 18, 2025

Letter of Intent Deadline

July 25, 2025

Invitation to Bid

August 1, 2025

Proposal Deadline

August 15, 2025

INCAP Intermediary Selection Announcement

Week of October 6, 2025

Submission Deadlines

Final proposals are due Friday, August 15, from those organizations invited to submit.

Submit LOI
Submit Final Proposal

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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