Southern Indiana Business Report
INDIANAPOLIS — The Governor’s Workforce Cabinet and Conexus Indiana announced a new $500,000 grant program March 8 to support Indiana high schools as they prepare students for careers in the increasingly high-tech advanced manufacturing industry. Modeled after the statewide Manufacturing Readiness Grants program, Education Readiness Grants are available for qualifying secondary schools that purchase new, smart manufacturing technologies and equipment to develop skills students need to succeed in an Industry 4.0 economy.
The Education Readiness Grants program is a direct response to the success of the Manufacturing Readiness Grants program, launched in mid-2020 and administered by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) in partnership with Conexus Indiana. To date, 169 awards have been made totaling more than $13.4 million in Manufacturing Readiness Grants. These grants are supporting a projected $93 million in capital investment in Industry 4.0 technologies, which connect physical production with smart technologies such as machine learning, additive manufacturing and artificial intelligence.
Education Readiness Grants of up to $100,000 per applicant are now available to Indiana secondary schools to purchase hardware and/or software that create foundational exposure to the types of smart manufacturing technology being adopted by companies awarded Manufacturing Readiness Grants.
“Education Readiness Grants complement Indiana’s Next Level Programs of Study, which ensures all students have access to career and technical education with the opportunity to earn dual credits, post-secondary credentials and engage in work-based learning experiences,” said Tony Harl, state career and technical education director for the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet. “Not only will Education Readiness Grants provide schools with the tools to enhance student engagement in CTE, but students will be better prepared for careers in their communities with advanced manufacturers committed to Industry 4.0 technology.”
Next Level Programs of Study, Indiana’s redesign of secondary career and technical education courses, is made up of 66 programs of study launching in the 2022-2023 school year. Schools interested in offering the Industry 4.0 – Smart Manufacturing or Industrial Automation and Robotics programs of study will be able to use Education Readiness Grants funds to assist with implementation.
In addition to providing grants to secondary schools, Education Readiness Grants are intended to strengthen partnerships between industry and local schools. Grant recipients must demonstrate a direct connection with local advanced manufacturers with the goal of recruiting more students to career and technical education and graduate job-ready students with experience and credentials that apply to local employers.
“Manufacturing Readiness Grants, the first-of-its kind program in the nation, have enabled Indiana small- to mid-sized companies to adopt technologies that not only increase their productivity and competitiveness, but provide Hoosiers with high-paying, rewarding careers,” said Brad Rhorer, chief talent programs officer for Conexus Indiana. “Education Readiness Grants will help schools align curricula and hands-on experiential learning with the types of high-tech technologies that define the future of advanced manufacturing in Indiana.”
Schools can apply for Education Readiness Grants at www.conexusindiana.com/cultivating-talent/education-readiness-grants/. The grant application will remain open through April 8, 2022. Grant applications will be reviewed by the Conexus Indiana Smart Manufacturing Education Fellows advisory committee, which will make funding recommendations for the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet’s Office of Career and Technical Education’s consideration. The committee comprises post-secondary, industry and state leadership partners who represent various industry sectors, technology competencies and geographic diversity.