Indiana launches new grant program for upskilling workers

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Gov. Mike Braun on Tuesday said Indiana’s low unemployment means employers should instead focus on upskilling the employees they already have.

The Indiana Office of Commerce has launched a new grant program called Power Up Indiana. The program provides grants of up to $5,000 per employee, to a maximum of $50,000, to any employer that invests in training an existing employee for a new, higher job within their organization. Secretary of Commerce David Adams said any such program would have to result in at least a 25% wage increase for participating employees.

Adams and Braun said the new program differs from previous employer grant programs because it focuses on training existing employees rather than new ones. They said the aging workforce means employees are taking critical skills and knowledge with them when they retire, so companies need to focus on transferring those skills to the next generation.

“The question now isn’t just how do we create more jobs, it’s how do we unlock the full capacity of the jobs we have, maximize the human potential of the people here in Indiana and create the communities that we already have,” Adams said.

Braun recognized Keystone Cooperative’s SEED program, also known as Securing Experience + Employee Development. The Republican governor said it’s an example of the type of program he’s looking for. The agricultural cooperative launched the program in 2024 as a way for high school graduates to enter the company and get exposed to every facet of its operations from grain to sales and corporate functions. It pairs them with mentors and provides apprenticeships.

“They are just ready to learn. They soak in like sponges and they’re truly ready to get to work,” Keystone spokesperson Sarah Morehouse said of program participants. “They want to be in the know, they want to lead.”

Adams said state lawmakers set aside $10 million for the grants in the budget they approved in April.

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