Ivy Tech Community College says it has released a new report that estimates, for the first time, the number of Hoosiers who will need to acquire new skills through non-degree credentials to meet Indiana’s workforce demands and drive economic growth during the next decade. The report, assembled in collaboration with TEConomy Partners, LLC., identifies the demand for non-credit skills training in the state’s key industry sectors: advanced manufacturing; business, logistics, and supply chain; healthcare; and technology, a news release said. The report finds that 69% of job openings in these sectors will require some form of postsecondary education and training, and during the next decade, Indiana will need to upskill or reskill more than 82,000 working adults each year via non-degree credentials to keep pace with evolving workforce needs.
The number of Hoosiers who will need to reskill or upskill each year is more than the population of Bloomington and includes incumbent workers as well as high school students entering the workforce in the next decade, Ivy Tech said. Non-degree credentials are industry-recognized certifications, certificates, licenses and other short-term training programs, like apprenticeships, that provide specialized skills and knowledge without requiring a traditional associate or bachelor’s degree. These credentials can be completed in a matter of weeks or months rather than years.
“As Indiana’s workforce engine, Ivy Tech is committed to providing the high-quality, industry-aligned education and training that our state and employers need to drive economic growth and prosperity,” said Dr. Sue Ellspermann, president, Ivy Tech Community College. “This research underscores the urgent need to help Hoosiers acquire new or specialized skills as technologies such as automation and artificial intelligence continue to transform our workforce and economy.”
Indiana’s Workforce Transformation: Understanding the Need for Upskilling and Reskilling in a Changing Economy was made possible through funding from Lilly Endowment, Inc. The full report is available at IvyTech.edu/Skills-Training .
