When Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI) launched in 2015, its leaders sought to answer an important question: How could a region anchored by a major research university, a leading national security and defense installation and globally competitive industries improve its workforce and economic outcomes?

The answer began with an understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in the Indiana Uplands, an 11-county region home to four major employment centers that drive the advanced manufacturing, life sciences and national security and defense sectors.

“We needed to focus on our key employment sectors to drive economic outcomes,” said Tina Peterson, President and CEO of ROI. “The three we chose, advanced manufacturing, life sciences and defense, were the ones that would create the greatest opportunities for wage growth and improved economic opportunity.”

Since then, ROI has developed into a regional intermediary focused on advancing economic and community prosperity across the Indiana Uplands. Through its work in advanced industry sectors, regionalism, transformative school and workforce redesign, and placemaking strategies, ROI brings together employers, educators, community leaders and higher education partners to create opportunities for students, workers and communities.

“We purposefully take a broad approach,” Peterson said. “We’re trying to build a connected ecosystem among employers, educators, communities and higher education.”

At the core of ROI’s work is talent development. Early on, the organization recognized that preparing students for high-demand careers would require more than isolated programs. Instead, it created Ready Schools, a K-12 redesign initiative that uses design-thinking principles to connect educators and employers to develop career-focused learning experiences that align more directly with the education and workforce needs of their communities.

ROI’s role is not to dictate solutions but to promote collaboration.

“The best workforce development strategies are co-designed, not prescribed,” Peterson said. “We bring all the relevant stakeholders together and ensure employers have a voice in shaping curricular and learning opportunities that reflect what employers require – and what students need to succeed.”

This collaborative approach has led to successful employer partnerships across the region. One notable example is ROI’s work with defense contractor SAIC through its youth apprenticeship initiative, Upskill.

“SAIC was one of the first organizations we approached,” Peterson said. “It would have been easy for an organization of that size to say, ‘This is too different for us to figure out,’ but they didn’t.”

The results speak for themselves. ROI has placed 26 apprentices with SAIC, and Peterson noted that the vast majority have remained with the organization after completing the program.

For SAIC, the value of the partnership extends beyond filling workforce needs.

“Investing in our youth apprenticeship program is not just about immediate financial returns, but about building a highly skilled, integrated workforce while fostering a sustainable talent pipeline that drives long-term growth and competitiveness,” said Jennifer Holt, Combat and Strategic Systems Market Executive Assistant at SAIC. “Beyond reducing onboarding time and strengthening employee loyalty, the program creates added value by enhancing our workplace culture, bolstering our employer brand and encouraging innovation through fresh perspectives.”

Holt said apprentices also have a positive impact on the company’s existing workforce.

“Youth apprentices bring an undeniable energy and enthusiasm that elevate employee engagement across the organization, sparking collaboration, mentorship and the sharing of expertise,” she said. “Their willingness to learn reinvigorates teams, boosting morale and overall retention while fostering a culture of growth.”

For Peterson, the success of partnerships like these comes down to trust, flexibility and a commitment to listening.

“We approach every effort as a partnership,” she said. “Our role is to help create a framework for schools, employers and communities to align around shared goals, so that students gain clearer pathways, and employers gain a stronger future workforce.”

More than a decade after its founding, ROI continues to strengthen the Indiana Uplands by connecting people, sharing resources and building pathways that prepare students and communities for long-term success.

Educators and employers can connect with ROI for work-based learning assistance via the Ascend Intermediary Directory.