An apprentice of the Roche pharmaceutical company explains some of the work she and other apprentices do at the company’s training center outside Basel, Switzerland in 2022. Teams from Indiana have been working with Swiss experts to adapt the Swiss apprenticeship system to that state. (Photo by Patrick O’Donnell/The 74)
Indiana stands at a critical crossroads. By 2031, 72% of jobs will require education or training beyond high school, yet only 39% of Hoosier adults currently hold an associate degree or higher. This isn’t just a statistic — it’s a wake-up call. Now is the time to expand our current education-to-workforce system to better meet the needs of Indiana students and employers.
We’ve seen what success can look like in other parts of the world through our work with CEMETS iLab Indiana, a coalition of more than 200 Hoosier business, education, government, and nonprofit leaders working to transform how we educate and train young people in our state.
During the iLab’s study of Switzerland’s acclaimed vocational education and training system, we discovered a model that could revolutionize how we prepare Hoosier students for meaningful careers.
Modeled after the Swiss system, the new professional education and training pathway proposed by the iLab includes paid apprenticeships beginning in high school combined with relevant academic instruction. It is designed to prepare high school students for careers while also developing a new talent pipeline for employers seeking to address workforce needs.
Employers must play a lead role in identifying needed occupations and defining required skills and competencies. Educators will also be critical to this work, collaborating with employers to develop education and training content that ensures participating students complete their pathway with the skills they need to pursue a rewarding, well-paying career.
A new path forward
Let us be clear: This approach isn’t about abandoning the traditional high school-to-college path – it’s designed to create an additional pathway to new opportunities for thousands of Indiana students, including many who otherwise may not have opted to attend college or pursue training after high school.
We’re already seeing glimpses of this future in Indiana, as students from high schools in both of our districts have participated in youth apprenticeships and other paid work-based learning opportunities. In total, seven youth apprenticeship pilot programs across 13 Indiana counties have engaged more than 100 employers and 450 students. The results are promising, but we need to think bigger. By 2034, we aim to expand these opportunities to 50,000 students – nearly half of our state’s expected new job growth. This isn’t just an educational initiative; it’s also an economic strategy that positions Indiana as a top destination for businesses and entrepreneurs.
To our fellow Hoosiers – particularly our fellow school administrators and educators – we invite you to join us. Together, we can ensure our education system prepares every student for success, regardless of their chosen path.
The future we envision isn’t just possible – it’s already taking shape in pockets across our state. However, building a pathway that serves students across Indiana depends on our willingness to innovate and collaborate. Now is the time to make these opportunities available to every Hoosier student. Because when we create multiple pathways to success, we’re not just helping individual students – we’re building a stronger, more prosperous Indiana for all.
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