Indiana youth will see more pathways to future careers thanks to grants from the Fairbanks Foundation.
The CEMETS iLab Indiana, a coalition of community leaders, released a strategic plan which included new training and education for aspiring professionals. With funds from the grants, high school students will be eligible for apprenticeships in a variety of fields.
The iLab’s strategic plan outlined four priorities, one of which was the creation of “talent associations.”
“Talent associations will select occupations, identify the required knowledge, skills, and competencies, and collaborate with educators to develop education and training content,” according to a statement released via email.
The first round of talent associations will focus on health care, life sciences and advanced manufacturing and logistics. The Fairbanks Foundation awarded two-year grants up to $250,000 to the following talent associations:
- BioCrossroads: Healthcare talent association – $200,000
- BioCrossroads: Life Sciences talent association – $200,000
- Conexus Indiana: Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics talent association – $250,000
Up next is a talent association in the banking industry to be operated by Indiana Bankers Association.
“All industry association grants are contingent upon each organization’s ability to secure matching funds for the talent associations from employers within their industries,” according to the statement.
Additionally, the Fairbanks Foundation has awarded a two-year, $425,000 grant to the Center on the Economics and Management of Education and Training Systems (CEMETS) at the Chair of Education Systems, ETH Zurich, for consulting and technical assistance in the U.S. and Switzerland.
The goal is to begin welcoming students to the programming in the 2025-206 school year. For more information about the iLab strategic plan, visit ilabindianastrategicplan.org.
