Why INCAP Was Created
Discover why Indiana created the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway and how employers, educators, and statewide partners brought it to life.
Why Indiana Needs a New Career Pathway
More opportunities for Hoosiers. A stronger workforce for Indiana.
Indiana’s economic success is creating significant workforce demand, leading to increased talent shortages. Many employers are unable to grow their businesses or meet customer demands due to a lack of qualified personnel. At the same time, many students do not attend college, and there are few alternatives for training after high school that prepares them for a rewarding, high-quality career. College alone cannot close the gap.
Simply put, Hoosiers need more options after high school. Those options can, and should, start well before graduation and continue into adulthood.
The workforce and education trends shown below highlight the need for a new approach — one that connects education, paid work experience, and employer demand.
72%
of U.S. jobs will require an education beyond high school by 2031. Indiana is not on track to meet that need.
The Principles Behind INCAP
The goal of the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway is to prepare more Hoosiers for rewarding careers through high-quality education and training. To achieve that goal, INCAP is built around two key principles:
- Education and training should reflect workforce demand.
Employers must play a direct role in defining occupations, identifying required skills, and shaping programs to ensure students are prepared for the roles employers need to fill. - The pathway should open doors, not create dead ends.
INCAP must align with the college pathway through a shared framework for recognizing learning and credentials that make it possible to build on prior education, training, and work experience.
From Global Inspiration to an Indiana Model
The Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway draws inspiration from Switzerland’s Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET) system, a globally recognized model that combines classroom instruction with employer-led work-based learning. Rather than replicating the Swiss system, Indiana adapted its proven principles to reflect the state’s workforce needs, education system, and employers.
This work was guided by experts from the Center on the Economics and Management of Education and Training Systems (CEMETS) at ETH Zurich, whose research and implementation framework helped Indiana leaders develop an employer-led model tailored specifically for Hoosiers. The result is a pathway that connects education and employment while giving employers a leading role in shaping the skills and occupations needed to strengthen Indiana’s workforce.
The Road to INCAP
- 2016: Indiana Discovers the Swiss Model
Indiana leaders, led and funded by the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, first learned about Switzerland’s Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET) system and began exploring how its proven practices could strengthen Indiana’s workforce. - 2016-2022: Research, Learning, and Pilot Programs
After studying the Swiss system and how its proven practices could strengthen Indiana’s workforce, these leaders launched youth apprenticeship pilot programs and built collaboration among youth apprenticeship practitioners across the state. - 2023: CEMETS iLab Indiana Launches
The Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation announced the creation of CEMETS iLab Indiana, bringing together more than 300 leaders from business, K–12 and higher education, government, nonprofits, and philanthropy to design a statewide professional education and training pathway. - Today: The Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway
iLab Indiana’s work, now known as the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway, continues to expand with new occupations, employer partnerships, and opportunities for high schoolers and adults.
Built Differently by Design
The Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway was intentionally designed with features that distinguish it from many traditional education and training models.
Employer Leadership
Employers define in-demand occupations and the competencies needed to succeed
A Lifelong Pathway
INCAP offers career pathways for high schoolers and adults
Real-World Experience
Participants spend multiple full days each week learning on-site with an employer
Earn and Learn
Participants are paid while gaining hands-on experience and industry skills
Multiple Paths Forward
INCAP credentials will be recognized by employers and may count toward college credit
Growing Across Indiana
The Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway continues to expand as employers identify workforce needs and additional industries join the effort. As the pathway grows, Indiana continues to:
- Develop new occupations based on employer demand
- Expand employer and school partnerships
- Create more opportunities for high schoolers and adults
The People Behind INCAP
The Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway is sustained through ongoing collaboration among employers, educators, workforce organizations, and other statewide partners, all overseen by a two-tier governance structure. Together, these organizations:
- Guide the continued development of the pathway
- Strengthen connections between education and industry
- Expand opportunities for Hoosiers across the state