Employ Indy, Ascend Indiana launch paid high school apprenticeship program

Employ Indy and Ascend Indiana on Tuesday announced a new apprenticeship program that will give Indianapolis students a chance to earn a paycheck while getting work experience in high-demand industries.

Called Modern Apprenticeship (MAP), the program is a paid two- to three-year work-based learning experience with local employers, where students will emerge with a high school diploma, college credits, relevant credentials and professional experience. This pilot apprenticeship program starts during an Indianapolis student’s junior year of high school.

Up to 30 students from five Indianapolis-area township school districts and charter schools will be hired by one of 16 Indianapolis employers that represent a variety of growing, high-demand industries, such as information technology, financial services, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. Additional apprenticeship opportunities are also available in business operations including human resources, sales and marketing.

Among the participating employers is the city of Indianapolis, Ascension St. Vincent, Katz, Sapper & Miller, Indianapolis Airport Authority, Indy Chamber, One America and Roche Diagnostics.

Students from Indianapolis Public Schools, Phalen Leadership Academy, Pike High School, Washington Township and Victory College Prep will be able to participate.

The apprenticeship will enable high school students to attain soft skills, technical skills and relevant work experience.

During the first two years of the apprenticeship, students will spend a portion of their day in school and a portion of their day working. In their third year, they will focus primarily on their job while finishing the requirements for their industry recognized credential.

That schedule provides students with the flexibility to maintain extracurricular activities and social connections while in high school. Employ Indy will work alongside employers, supervisors, mentors and students and provide support to ensure students are developing professionally and progressing successfully through the program.

The occupations currently available to apprentices include junior coder, quality assurance tech, IT support tech, medical assistant, billing and coding specialist, staff accountant, maintenance technician and project coordinator. Students in the program will earn an average of $13 per hour for their work.

“As employers’ demand for highly skilled talent continues to grow in our community, we must establish a system of support to close the equity gap for Indianapolis students,” Marie Mackintosh, chief strategy officer for EmployIndy, said in written comments. “We have partnered with regional and national career readiness initiatives to pilot a program that provides students with quality, career-relevant experiences combined with classroom learning that will prepare young people for a successful transition to college and jobs of the future.”

High school sophomores who are on track to graduate are eligible to apply. Participants also must have parental permission

Students interested in participating should submit their information to indymodernapprenticeship.com to determine eligibility.

Starting Jan. 5, once they’ve received all the necessary permissions, students can create a profile and apply for apprenticeships. Students will be able to apply for apprenticeships until April 15 or until all positions are filled.