The Intermediary Capacity Building grant was created in 2023 by the Indiana General Assembly to implement the policy goals of the House Enrolled Act 1002. On Feb. 19, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education named Aspire Johnson County among the recipients of the grant.
The rules of the grant state that recipients must use the one-time funds to expand access to one or more of the following programs: Career Scholarship Accounts, Career Discovery Meetings, and Career Coaching and Navigation.
Aspire’s efforts over the past few years align with the state’s goals of increased career exposure for students. They will be working to help their school partners reach those goals with an extensive list of quality employers in Johnson County. This grant affirms Aspire’s work in workforce development and elevates their ability to stand out among Indiana’s local economic development and chamber organizations.
“The intermediary designation and capacity building grant matters to our schools as it provides them with an intermediary who already has a deep bench of employers that have raised their hands to help us develop our workforce pipeline,” said Amanda Rubadue, vice president of Economic Development at Aspire.
“It matters to our students in that it provides an opportunity to learn more about careers and companies they may not have considered, increasing the potential they’ll join a Johnson County company either right out of high school or after they finish college.”
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education has awarded $5 million to 25 approved intermediaries to increase their capacity to strengthen connections between students and schools with employers. This grant allows Aspire to continue its School to Work efforts to connect businesses with the classroom and students with career exposure opportunities.
“This matters to our businesses because it provides them with an opportunity to get in front of students, tell their story, and provide a place for students to ask questions,” said Rubadue.
