Project Indy – a joint effort of Mayor Joe Hogsett, EmployIndy, and Indy Parks – is currently offering 257 available positions from over 160 local employers. Through its online platform at projectindy.net, it is now easier than ever for young people to get connected to employers who are hiring, Indy Parks officials said.
Project Indy was launched in 2016 by Mayor Hogsett alongside EmployIndy, the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, and the Marion County Commission on Youth. Since its launch, Project Indy has empowered over 19,200 young adults in Marion County by providing work experiences that build their employability skills and allow them to explore new career fields. During that time, 339 employers have posted open positions on the portal.
By hiring in-school and out-of-school youth throughout Marion County, local employers provide employability skill development and job-readiness training, playing an important role in training a future workforce. Employers, such as Project Indy partner Indy Parks, benefit by creating a talent pipeline for their business or industry.
“The City of Indianapolis is thrilled to be kicking off yet another year of our youth employment initiative,” Hogsett said when the project was announced at Frederick Douglass Park. “Over the course of nearly a decade, Project Indy has helped our young people not only to stay busy while earning a fair wage, but also to develop the essential skills and experience that will lead them on to high-quality, long-term employment as adults.”
Said Frederick Douglass Park Manager Derrick Miller, “Indy Parks provides high quality job opportunities for our youth by allowing them to serve their community and build a strong foundation for their careers,”. “Whether it’s as a lifeguard, camp counselor, or food program staff, our summer jobs are a great place for young people to work and learn.”
EmployIndy, which administers Project Indy, will continue promoting the virtual platform through face-to-face recruiting at Indianapolis-area high schools, targeted social media campaigns, and at local youth hiring fairs. In 2024, over 1,575 young people in Indianapolis were connected to job opportunities through Project Indy.
“Our team works directly with education and workforce partners to promote Project Indy as a valuable Career-Connected Learning initiative for both youth and employers” said EmployIndy President and CEO, Marie Mackintosh. “For employers, specifically, Project Indy is an opportunity to modernize their recruitment strategy and co-develop our city’s next generation of talent.”
In 2018, EmployIndy, in partnership with the City of Indianapolis and the Indy Chamber, launched Job Ready Indy, an online employability skills program focused on providing the soft skills needed to succeed in the workplace. When an individual completes one of the online courses, a Job Ready Indy badge will appear on their Project Indy profile – notifying an interested employer that they are deemed by EmployIndy and the Indy Chamber as someone who demonstrates the “job-ready” skills important to the workplace.
Youth ages 16-24 can get started using Project Indy’s virtual job board by simply texting “ProjectIndy” to 317-659-9657. This easy-to-use online platform utilizes text messaging to recruit and onboard job seekers. It also includes a location-based tool that works to connect youth to nearby opportunities as well as filtering job opportunities by interest. Once registered, job seekers can easily apply to any of the hundreds of open positions by providing a few pieces of basic information.
Employers interested in hiring youth can sign up to be a Project Indy partner. Youth interested in joining the Project Indy platform can get started by simply texting “ProjectIndy” to 317-659-9657 or visiting projectindy.net.
To speak with a young adult who has benefited from Project Indy, contact Austin Jenness at ajenness@employindy.org or 317-605-2742.
