Regional collaboration will advance Accelerate Indy 2030 talent priorities and strengthen pathways between workers, skills and quality jobs
INDIANAPOLIS. The Indy Chamber today announced a new regional workforce initiative supported by a $250,000 grant from Walmart to strengthen how Greater Indianapolis connects workers with skills, quality jobs and opportunities for career advancement. Led by the Indy Chamber in collaboration with CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), Ascend Indiana, The Indianapolis Foundation, United Way of Central Indiana, EmployIndy, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana and other regional partners, the five-month planning effort will examine how existing workforce programs and partnerships can be better connected and scaled across the region.
The initiative directly supports the talent priorities of Accelerate Indy 2030, the region’s strategy for economic growth and competitiveness, including building stronger connections between employers, educators and workforce partners and ensuring residents can access pathways to high-opportunity careers.
“Greater Indianapolis has strong employers, workforce partners and training programs already doing important work across our region,” said Matt Mindrum, president and CEO of the Indy Chamber. “This grant gives us an opportunity to connect those strengths more intentionally and build clearer pathways between people, skills and quality jobs. We’re grateful to Walmart for supporting our efforts to create a workforce system that can respond to employers’ evolving needs while expanding economic opportunity for workers across our region.”
As employers and workers navigate a labor market increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, new technologies and evolving skill needs, the initiative will focus on strengthening the systems already serving the region rather than creating another standalone workforce program. The planning process will include regional labor-market research, mapping of existing workforce assets and engagement with employers, educators and community partners.
Areas of exploration will include accelerated training tied to employer demand, employer-backed career mobility pathways, work-based learning and earn-and-learn opportunities, career navigation, and data and skills-based hiring tools. The work will place particular emphasis on adults seeking greater economic mobility, including incumbent and dislocated workers and others seeking pathways into higher-quality careers.
“Indiana’s economic competitiveness depends on our ability to connect people with the skills and opportunities needed in a rapidly changing economy,” said Melina Kennedy, Chief Executive Officer of CEOs of CICP. “Across Central Indiana, employers and workforce partners have already built strong foundations in many of our highest-opportunity industries. This grant gives us the chance to build on that momentum, better align talent with employer demand and create more accessible pathways for workers to advance into rewarding careers.”
By the conclusion of the planning period, the coalition expects to identify a focused set of high-impact strategies that can move toward implementation and produce measurable career mobility outcomes. The goal is to build on what Greater Indianapolis already does well while creating a more connected, responsive workforce system capable of meeting the changing needs of workers and employers.
Walmart and Walmart Foundation have provided more than $180 million in workforce development grants and initiatives since 2021. The Indianapolis investment is part of Walmart’s broader effort to help communities prepare workers and employers for the changing future of work.
About the Indy Chamber
The Indy Chamber serves as a regional voice for progress, uniting business and community to strengthen the Indy region’s economy and quality of life. Through bold advocacy, economic development, and small & mid-size business support, we help fuel growth, expand opportunity, and position the region to compete and thrive. Working alongside civic, corporate, and community partners, the Indy Chamber focuses on attracting investment, developing talent pathways, and elevating the Indy region’s story. Guided by our core values – Love Indy, Dream Big, and Move Together – we bring leaders together to shape the conditions for growth and build a future where the Indy region leads the Midwest and competes on a global stage.
