Innovation & Workforce

An era of transformation is underway at Indiana University Indianapolis that goes beyond our new name or the trident that is now part of the Indianapolis skyline. It starts with our critical location. We are at the heart of a thriving city and region whose leaders are looking to build workforce and human capital. Thanks to the leadership of President Pamela Whitten and the IU Board of Trustees, we are doubling down on our commitment to ensure that students graduate with skills and knowledge that equip them for success in the increasingly competitive job market while bolstering Indiana’s economic vitality. As outlined in the IU 2030 strategic plan, IU Indianapolis is committed to prioritizing student success and opportunity, transformative research and creativity, and service to our state and beyond. 

In 2022, more than 47% of job postings in our state required a four-year degree, but only 27% of Hoosiers have reached that educational milestone. The Indiana Economic Development Corp.’s workforce strategy has called for 25,000 more college graduates by 2030 to fill this gap, with 300,000 more Hoosier workers needing to reskill or upskill to keep pace with the evolving job market.

IU Indianapolis is ideally positioned to address these gaps in our workforce. Nearly 90% of our in-state students who graduate with a four-year degree will stay in Indiana as they enter the job market. Any investment we make in our student body will have an outsized impact on the graduating talent pool for our state and region.

So invest we have. First, we have partnered with Indianapolis Public Schools to launch and expand a seamless admissions program that admits any IPS senior who graduates with a 3.0 GPA. We have continued to assist students through the state’s 21st Century Scholars program, and we offer wraparound support services through our Freshman Summer Bridge Program to help incoming students adapt to their new learning environment.

We are also expanding on the more than 300 college-level courses available to high school students so they can reduce tuition costs and graduate more quickly into the workforce. By making the path to higher education more accessible to local students, we not only put them on a path to career success and fulfillment, but we graduate the human capital for industry in our region, promoting economic growth and improving the quality of life for Indianapolis residents.

Second, IU Indianapolis is making significant investments in research that will alter the landscape of our regional economy. Chief among these is the launch of two new research institutes, the Convergent Bioscience and Technology Institute and the Institute for Human Health and Wellbeing. Both are part of a university-wide $250 million investment in biosciences that will provide support and partnership to a crucial Indiana industry. 

To give these institutes room to grow, we are building lab space with an initial increase of 50,000 square feet. To serve the region’s needs for a more tech-savvy talent pool, we are doubling enrollment for programs in informatics, bioinformatics and biostatistics in our Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering. With new programs in biomedical engineering, we are encouraging our current and recruited faculty to prioritize patent and licensing opportunities in addition to the traditional focus on publications and grants. And our eventual transition to the prestigious R1 research status, thanks to our doctoral degree production and total research expenditures, will make our campus even more of a magnet for top-notch faculty and competitive research funding.

Third, our focus on service to the state and beyond is already bearing fruit. Because of our location, we are able to capitalize on the presence of major life science corporations and startup incubators right here in our capital city. The state of Indiana employs 43% more individuals in the bioscience industry than the national average. Since 2018, employment in Indiana’s life-science sector has grown at seven times the national average.

To serve this industry, we have launched an innovative co-op program for undergraduate business and science students to learn and earn while working at Eli Lilly and Co. And more of our students will be making the trek across Fall Creek to 16 Tech to engage with the ecosystem of startups, venture financing and entrepreneurship.

Early indicators signal that this match between student opportunities and workforce needs is resonating. Applications to IU Indianapolis are up more than 17% this year.

Through these engagements, and many more, we are targeting the future workforce and innovation needs of Indiana. Our plan is to be an active partner to our state and region, not just a bystander. We understand that stronger relationships mean a stronger economy, a stronger city, state and region, and a stronger IU Indianapolis.