Indiana Latino Institute (ILI) has formed a collaboration with Ascend Indiana to help connect students to good and promising internship opportunities in Indiana.
Ascend, an Indiana nonprofit organization, helps to connect students to internships and careers through the Ascend Network, a web-based platform, that matches a student’s skills and interests with the best Indiana career opportunities. By signing up for the Network, ILI students have access to more than 750 Indiana employers and receive support through the Network from the ILI team.
Since its inception in 2016, Ascend has connected more than 5,000 Hoosiers with jobs, internships and training opportunities in all sectors across the state.
Founded in 2001, ILI is the state’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for and empowering Indiana’s Latino community. With a mission to advance Latino educational attainment and workforce preparedness statewide, ILI works to address the social and economic challenges faced by the community.
Building on the success of placing over 100 Latino students in high-quality internships across Indiana in the last year, the Indiana Latino Institute (ILI) is committed to expanding these opportunities in 2024. ILI President and CEO Marlene Dotson emphasizes the importance of the Ascend partnership, stating, “The Indiana Latino Institute is dedicated to empowering Latino students by creating pathways to professional success. These internships provide invaluable real-world experience, ensuring graduates are equipped not only with degrees but also with the practical skills they need to thrive in their chosen careers. Partnering with Ascend will facilitate both internship placement and job opportunities for these students, strengthening our ability to empower Latino Hoosiers and pave the way for a more vibrant and prosperous Indiana for all.”
Ascend Indiana not only adds a robust resource to Indiana institutions and community partners, but also gives students a comprehensive view of the many rewarding and exciting career opportunities here in the Hoosier state. Indiana’s economy continues to expand with new and existing companies, leading to many opportunities for Indiana-based careers in the fields of information technology, advanced manufacturing, biosciences, financial services and more. There are more than 2,000 open jobs on the Network for hundreds of different roles including systems analyst, accountant, engineer, marketing, human resources and information technology, among others.
“Students using the Ascend Network will experience a platform that is tailored to finding jobs and internships specifically in Indiana in a wide variety of industries that employ more than 3 million Hoosiers in meaningful and well-paying careers,” said Brad Rhorer, president and CEO, Ascend Indiana. “Indiana’s economy is growing at unprecedented rates; in 2023 alone, 208 companies committed to locate or expand in Indiana, investing more than $28.7 billion in their operations and creating nearly 22,000 new jobs with an average annual salary of $75,025.”
The Ascend Network is a resource offered through the ILI internship program. During the internship search, application and interview process, the ILI team will leverage the Network for their students, in partnership with Ascend.
