Ascend in the News

Student-led businesses bring work-based learning to life by immersing students in real-world experiences with industry professionals, helping them build career-ready skills through hands-on management, mentorship and meaningful application of classroom knowledge.

Ascend Indiana and EmployIndy officially launched “Untapped: Connecting Employers to Indy Talent,” an interactive discussion focused on work-based learning (WBL) as a proven strategy to build a robust talent pipeline.

The Heritage Group is building a pipeline of STEM talent through paid work-based learning programs, school-year internships, science camps and long-term educational investments that empower high school students and employees’ children to explore professional growth and career paths.

The Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation has awarded $12.9 million in grants to eight Indiana organizations to launch the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway (INCAP), a statewide program starting in 2026 that will provide paid, on-the-job training for high school students and eventually adults in industries like banking, manufacturing and healthcare.

The Fairbanks Foundation has awarded nearly $13M in new grants to support the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway.

Fort Wayne Community Schools partnered with Parkview Health to provide middle school students hands-on healthcare career exploration through pilot programs, mobile simulations and career fairs, helping them make informed decisions about their future paths.

Ascend Indiana has announced a new member to its Board of Directors.

Indiana’s state college and university systems have agreed to automatically admit high school students who complete one of the state’s new diploma paths.

According to LightCast, Indiana had nearly 750,000 unique job postings in 2024, with almost 25% falling in the advanced industries’ economy.