Impact & Vision for Indiana
See what the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway is building toward — and how a stronger connection between education and employment can benefit Hoosiers, employers, and communities across the state.
Building a Statewide Pathway for the Future
A long-term investment in Indiana's people and economy
The Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway (INCAP) expands opportunities for high schoolers and adults to access high-quality education and training connected to rewarding careers.
The vision, which was created by CEMETS iLab Indiana, extends well beyond individual Apprenticeship Programs and Career Programs. At scale, INCAP will connect employers, schools and other education and training providers, and regional partners through a coordinated statewide system built around the skills Indiana industries need.
By 2034, the goal is for Indiana’s education-to-workforce system to provide every Hoosier access to high-quality education and training options that help them pursue their goals and contribute to the economic and civic vitality of their communities.
A Vision Shaped by Leaders Across Indiana
The coalition helping turn Indiana’s vision into action
CEMETS iLab Indiana is a coalition of more than 300 Hoosier leaders from industry, K-12 and higher education, nonprofits, government, and philanthropy. Launched in December 2023, iLab Indiana has led the work to develop INCAP as part of a stronger education-to-workforce system for Indiana.
iLab Indiana is led and funded by the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, which has allocated more than $25 million in grants and contracts since 2016 to study youth apprenticeship and develop a new education and training pathway in Indiana.
In September 2024, iLab Indiana released its strategic plan, establishing four priorities and setting the course for the creation and implementation of INCAP. The coalition released progress reports in November 2025 and November 2026 (coming soon), documenting progress toward those priorities.
The Vision for Indiana
50,000
INCAP participants by 2034
92
counties participating in INCAP at scale
100%
of Hoosiers have access to high-quality education and training options
Top 10
destination for employers expanding or entrepreneurs launching businesses
What Success Could Mean for Indiana
INCAP is designed to create benefits that extend from individual participants to employers and the state’s economy.
For Hoosiers
More ways to build a rewarding career. High schoolers and adults can prepare for in-demand careers through education and training that combines relevant learning with paid, meaningful workplace experience. INCAP credentials and degrees are designed to be recognized by employers and count toward college credit, helping participants build on what they’ve learned as they continue their careers or education.
For Employers
A stronger, more reliable talent pipeline. Employers take the leading role in identifying in-demand occupations and defining the knowledge and skills participants need to succeed. As INCAP grows, businesses will have a more coordinated way to help develop talent for the jobs their industries need to fill, both now and in the future.
For Indiana
An education system better aligned with economic opportunity. By connecting education more directly with employer demand, INCAP can help Indiana develop the skilled workforce needed to support existing businesses, attract new investment, and strengthen communities across the state.
Built to Grow Across the State
INCAP is being built to serve Hoosiers at different stages of their education and careers — from high school students beginning an Apprenticeship Program to adults building new skills through a Career Program. Reaching both groups at scale requires statewide infrastructure that connects employers, schools and other education and training providers, and regional partners.
That work includes:
- Growing Apprenticeship Programs for high school students as employer demand increases
- Expanding regional infrastructure to support high school Apprenticeship Programs across all 92 counties
- Creating Career Programs that are available statewide to help adults build skills for in-demand occupations
- Strengthening career advising so students can make informed education and training decisions based on their career goals
- Expanding Industry Talent Associations to bring employers within more industries together to identify shared talent needs, prioritize occupations, and shape the education and training those occupations require
- Aligning INCAP credentials and degrees with academic degrees to enable students to transition between INCAP and the college pathway without losing credit for education and training they’ve already completed
- Developing sustainable governance and funding structures to support INCAP at scale
Ensuring Learning Counts Across Pathways
Creating clear connections between professional and academic education
A fundamental component of INCAP is a structure that allows students to move between INCAP and the college pathway without losing credit for prior learning or having to start over.
To support this goal, the Indiana Department of Education developed the proposed Indiana Qualifications Framework (IQF), an eight-level framework that defines the knowledge, skills, and competencies associated with different levels of education and training.
The IQF helps align credentials and degrees with academic programs, making it easier for higher education and employers to understand and recognize what students know and can do, then award credit accordingly.
Indiana is currently piloting the IQF implementation process. Jobs for the Future is serving as the Indiana Qualifications Advisory Panel, validating the competencies and learning levels assigned to INCAP credentials and degrees by Industry Talent Associations.
Building today for the workforce Indiana will need tomorrow.
A Long-Term Vision for Indiana
Built to last — and built to adapt
INCAP is designed to help Hoosiers access rewarding careers throughout their lives. As industries grow, occupations change, and new opportunities emerge, Apprenticeship Programs for high schoolers and Career Programs for adults can continue evolving to connect people with the skills and experiences those careers require.
The work underway today is laying the foundation for a system that can continue adapting over time. Success will mean more than launching new programs or reaching participation goals. It will mean Hoosiers are prepared for rewarding careers and Indiana’s employers have a durable talent development system.
The goal is not simply to meet today’s workforce needs, but to build a system capable of meeting Indiana’s needs for decades to come.