ANDERSON — With notification that it has received a $239,320 Career and Technical Education (CTE) grant from the state, Anderson Community Schools officials said all the elements are in place to significantly expand technical education opportunities for students.
The money will be used to establish an advanced manufacturing design laboratory to train students from Anderson and surrounding areas for the kind of skilled jobs that are currently in high demand. In addition to the state grant, a private match of $79,700 must also be raised locally.
"Our students will be provided the opportunity to learn and practice on equipment in a lab setting. This will not only prepare them to enter the world of manufacturing, but will also instill confidence and pride in their accomplishments," said Joanne LaBounty, lead instructor of the program.
All of the programs will be held at the new Anderson High School District 26 Career Campus, formerly known as the Ebbertt Education Center on 38th Street.
"ACSC will begin to prepare the future of a manufacturing workforce pipeline directly into the existing industry need for manufacturing workers," said Terry Thompson, superintendent.
The program is designed so that students who graduate will have the necessary certifications to move directly into jobs, or transition to college for more advanced training at Ivy Tech Community College, Purdue University College of Technology, or Anderson University, which is expanding its engineering and technical programs.
"Even more than receiving this grant money is the commitment we have made to our students to provide them with an education that is based on the belief that all students need to graduate with options as they pursue a future, hopefully within the Anderson community," Thompson said.
To identify employer, community and student needs, Anderson school officials collaborated with the city of Anderson's economic development team, the Madison County Education Coalition, NAACP, WorkOne; and local manufacturers, including Greenville Technology Inc., XADS, Carter Logistics, Keihin and others.
The grant Anderson received Thursday is part of a $4.3 million pool of money the Indiana General Assembly authorized spending to close the so-called skills gap. Indiana Indiana remains one of the nation's largest manufacturing and logistics hubs.
A new survey released by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce last week highlights the extent of the problem.
Jobs are there, but the employability of some Hoosiers doesn't match the positions that are available. According to the survey of 532 employers, 38 percent (202) said they recently left jobs unfilled because there are not enough qualified applicants.
“That number is way too high and speaks to the work that policymakers, educators and employers still have to do. And also what individuals often need to do to make themselves more marketable for the type of employment they desire,” said Kevin Brinegar, president and CEO of the Indiana Chamber. “Collectively, we need to do better at connecting the dots regarding the open jobs and the qualifications it takes to land one of them.”
In response to what education level is required for their unfilled jobs, two-thirds (67 percent) indicated beyond a high school degree, with 38 percent saying middle skills (certificates, certification or associate's degree) and 29 percent a bachelor's degree or higher. The most often cited occupations in need of good applicants were those in the skilled trades (such as an electrician or plumber) and engineering (from technician to design).
What makes getting the right talent pool mix all the more critical, Brinegar said, is that 96 percent of the respondents said they expect the size of their workforce to increase or stay the same over the next 1-2 years. The majority – at 57 percent – are actually looking to add more employees during that time.