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State officials designate Two New 21st Century Talent Regions

Last Updated on May 25, 2021 by Indiana Career Connections and Talent

INDIANAPOLIS – State leaders today joined local officials to announce two new Indiana 21st Century Talent Regions, a statewide designation awarded to Indiana communities focused on working collaboratively to attract, develop and connect talent, capping the initiative at 14 talent regions across the state.

“It has been exciting to see so many local and regional leaders working together to grow talent, foster innovation and improve communities in all corners of the Indiana,” said Secretary of Career

Connections and Talent Blair Milo. “The collaborative approach they have taken, building relationships within Hoosier communities and across state lines, has helped them set the foundation for attracting, developing and connecting talent to the region, and we look forward to the opportunities this work will create for all current and future Hoosiers.”

The Office of Career Connections and Talent, with support from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and technical assistance from CivicLab, launched the 21st Century Talent Region initiative to encourage local governments, businesses, educational institutions, nonprofits, and economic and workforce development partners to create and implement plans to increase educational attainment, raise household income and grow the population in a region. By taking a comprehensive, systems approach, participating regions identify strategic priorities and projects aimed at helping their communities create a better quality of place, develop and skill up their workforce, and connect talented Hoosiers with businesses seeking to fill high-demand, high-wage jobs.

Secretary Milo, Indiana Destination Development Corporation Secretary and CEO Elaine Bedel and Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers joined southern Indiana leaders on Monday, May 24, and leaders in north central Indiana on Tuesday, May 25, to designate the two remaining 21st Century Talent Regions.

Key stakeholders from Indiana’s Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Scott and Washington Counties, as well as Jefferson County across the border in Kentucky, were recognized for their work in a virtual ceremony designating the Kentuckiana Region as a 21st Century Talent Region with key priorities to increase the:

·       Working population under the age of 54 from 77% to 80% by 2025;

·       Percentage of workers in a living-wage job, identified as a full-time position earning at least

$37,460 per year plus employer-sponsored insurance benefits, from the current 39% to 43% by 2025;

·       Median individual wages by 3% annually, raising wages from the current $37,460 to $44,729 per year.

“Regionalism is an essential part of economic growth and prosperity,” said Tony Waterson, Southern Indiana Works executive director. “The bi-state Kentuckiana Region transcends geo-political lines, and being designated as a 21st Century Talent Region is one more example of how our region works collaboratively to align strategies and achieve our common economic and talent development goals.”

Spearheaded by the North Central Indiana Regional Planning Council, key stakeholders from Cass, Clinton, Fulton, Howard, Miami and Tipton Counties, were also recognized in a virtual ceremony designating the North Central Indiana Region as a 21st Century Talent Region with key priorities to:

·       Leverage the region’s current housing study to increase workforce housing opportunities by 5% by 2026;

·       Establish short-term and long-terms goals and support career pathway initiatives to achieve the increase of postsecondary educational attainment and credential attainment by 2.5% by 2025;

·       Market and support postsecondary institutions to increase dual credit enrollment by 3% by 2025; and

·       Establish a Manufacturing Center of Excellence in partnership with Ivy Tech Community College by 2024.

Earlier this month, Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced the launch of the Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI), which builds on the framework and successes of the Indiana Regional Cities Initiative and the 21st Century Talent Initiative, encouraging neighboring communities across the state to work collaboratively to develop a bold vision for their future that, when implemented, will attract, develop and retain talent in Indiana.

In addition to these two, the following regions have been designated 21st Century Talent Regions since the program’s beginning in 2017: East Central Indiana, Southwest Indiana, Northwest Indiana, West Central Indiana, the Eastside Economic Recovery and Mobility District, South Bend Elkhart, Hamilton County, Indiana Uplands, the EcO Network of Southeast Indiana, and Northeast Indiana. The Office of Career Connections and Talent will continue working with these regions and others to advance this foundation of work and move them toward participation (READI).

About 21st Century Talent Regions

21st Century Talent Regions are places that commit to using a systems approach to attract, develop, and connect Hoosier talent. Regions are self-defined with regard to their geography and are working toward building and implementing a plan to increase educational attainment, raise household income and grow population.

About Indiana READI

READI builds on the framework and successes of the Indiana Regional Cities Initiative and the 21st Century Talent Initiative, encouraging neighboring communities across the state to work collaboratively to develop a bold vision for their future that, when implemented, will attract, develop and retain talent in Indiana.

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