New Report Gives Roadmap to Unlocking the Power of Indiana’s Workforce Development Boards

Global economic and labor disruption make Indiana’s workforce ecosystem more important than ever. Too many employers are struggling to find talent, Hoosiers lack the skills to fill jobs in strategic sectors, and young people need clearer, faster pathways to good jobs. These dynamics demand greater efficiency and alignment between Indiana’s workforce and economic development systems.

Fortunately, Indiana already has many of the necessary ingredients for a thriving workforce ecosystem in place. The state is characterized by a robust roster of training and education providers, experienced public- and nonprofit-sector workforce leaders, and strong civic collaborations. The business-led network of 12 Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) helps ensure local priorities and employer needs are integrated into regional workforce service offerings. When fully leveraged, WDBs provide powerful laboratories of innovation that can drive rapid improvement in the workforce system, and they are uniquely positioned to make talent strategy the foundation of economic growth.

However, the power of the system of WDBs is limited by fragmentation in the talent ecosystem, funding cuts, inconsistent quality, and regulatory constructs that crowd out strategy. Addressing the barriers to a stronger workforce system is urgent and imperative for effectively serving the needs of hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers. This report lays out a practical agenda that will help WDBs further evolve from program administrators to strategic conveners and talent system architects. Success will require participation from all players in the state’s workforce system, and below are the strategies and actions to achieve this.

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