From the Office of Jeff Ellington, Indiana State Representative – Serving District 62:
State Representative Jeff Ellington (R-Bloomington) urges Hoosiers to join the thousands who are already taking advantage of Indiana’s Next Level Jobs certificate program to skill up at no cost and obtain a higher-paying job.
With many high-wage positions requiring specially trained workers, Ellington said Hoosiers can skill up for free with a Next Level Jobs Workforce Ready Grant, which covers tuition costs for those earning a high-value certificate from Ivy Tech Community College or Vincennes University. Since launching in 2017, more than 50,000 Hoosiers have enrolled to complete a high-demand certificate program through Indiana’s Next Level Jobs Workforce Ready Grant.
“Indiana needs to build on its labor force in order to prepare for the increasingly technical jobs coming to our state,” Ellington said. “Next Level Jobs is a tremendous resource for residents seeking better employment, and for businesses requiring workers with updated skills.”
According to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, those who earn a Workforce Ready Grant certificate see an annual median wage increase of $6,800.
Ellington said the program is designed so that participants can continue to work while earning a certificate in 1 of 5 in-demand job fields, including health and life sciences, IT and business services, building and construction, transportation and logistics, and advanced manufacturing. To learn more about Workforce Ready Grants, visit NextLevelJobs.org.
Ellington said to connect to a career in a fast-growing field today, Hoosiers can also visit IndianaCareerReady.com/INDemandJobs. This website helps job seekers easily explore industries experiencing significant growth, both in the number of hires and in rising wages. High-demand jobs in Indiana include nurses, accountants, computer systems analysts, construction managers, electricians, plumbers and software developers. The web portal offers a sortable list displaying the educational requirements, average salary, job postings and training opportunities for each occupation.