For years, we’ve asked the wrong question in workforce development. We’ve asked: Why aren’t people ready for work? But a better question is emerging in Northwest Indiana: What if people are ready—but we’ve never taught them in the way they’re wired to learn?

NWI Works, a collaborative workforce development initiative in Northwest Indiana, has created a bootcamp designed to strengthen skills that are often missing in otherwise qualified job candidates. These essential abilities help employees be more productive, navigate workplace challenges, and position themselves for long-term career success.

CTE and employer-driven experiences were not simply “taken out” of our educational continuum for youth and adults; it was stigmatized, underfunded, centralized, and overshadowed by college-only thinking.  Now it is returning as career-connected learning—but today’s adults need a bridge. NWI Works is becoming that bridge.

Northwest Indiana does not have a jobs problem—it has a system problem. With over 74,000 open jobs and 71% of employers reporting talent shortages, the region’s growth is constrained not by opportunity, but by the lack of a coordinated system that prepares adults quickly and effectively for work .

The Times publishes this ad sharing “What if there was a way to train and prepare for employment all in one place? Not just a community center where job seekers can work on a resume or search for job openings, but a centralized hub that reduces barriers preventing many from accessing high-paying, in-demand careers. NWI Works has unveiled an innovative concept that unifies workforce training, education, and community services while meeting the needs of regional employers actively seeking employees.”

NWI Works is now accepting resumes for Adult Education Instructors to support our Fast Track to Top Jobs program—an innovative workforce initiative designed to prepare adults for success in high-demand careers across multiple industries.

Across the country, employers are sounding the same alarm: job openings exist, but many applicants arrive unprepared for the expectations of the workplace. While technical training programs are expanding, companies increasingly report that the biggest gaps are not in technical ability—they are in work ethic, communication, reliability, and professionalism.

A new national report, America’s Talent Strategy: Building The Workforce for The Golden Age, outlines a blueprint for the future of workforce development in the United States. What’s striking is how closely its recommendations align with the model already being implemented through NWI Works and the Opportunity Hub at Elston in Michigan City.

The Michigan City Area Schools (MCAS) school board announced the repurposing of the former Elston High School into the new “Elston Opportunity Hub.” This transformation is the result of a partnership between the MCAS school board and NWI Works, which aims to make effective use of the previously underutilized 320,000-square-foot facility.

Employers need the Center of Workforce Innovations (CWI) because it serves as the region’s trusted, coordinated engine for building a reliable, skilled, and work-ready talent pipeline. CWI connects employers to pre-screened candidates, industry-aligned training, and pre-apprenticeship pathways while reducing hiring and onboarding costs through subsidized training and wraparound supports that improve retention.

As the world marks 80 years since the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, we’re proud to launch NourishWorks – a new division of the Elston Opportunity Hub – dedicated to advancing food security, nutrition, and workforce development in Michigan City.

Business leaders and educators from across the Region gathered at Avalon Manor on Wednesday, July 17th for the unveiling of the biannual State of the Workforce Report. The report revealed issues, strengths, and trends set to impact Northwest Indiana’s economy for years.

In a rare Saturday morning taping of the podcast, Dante and Matt join Mark (where’s Cris and Marisa?) to disentangle the considerable crosscurrents in the May jobs report.

If there is one keyword to pull from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA), it is collaboration. WIOA has created a unique and exciting opportunity for collaboration at the state level between local workforce and economic development agencies.

IPB News: Indiana’s unemployment rate has gradually increased to 3.7 percent over the last six months, according to preliminary data. In November of last year the unemployment rate was 3.5 percent and it stayed that way until April of this year with a rate of 3.6 percent. The state's unemployment rate now stands at 3.7 percent, before seasonal adjustments.

Building Indiana Business: The 2024 forecast for the Northwest Indiana economy is mostly optimistic, according to the experts who presented at the recent Business & Economic Outlook. During the event, a cross-section of industry leaders delivered their expectations for the coming year.